Final Fantasy VI Prequel: Children of the Empire
by Mystics Apprentice
Summary: FFVI: Fate can be kind and cruel, as it is to the four well-known figures of the Empire. Long before the events of the game, Terra, Kefka, Celes, and Leo had all been bound together, enduring childhoods that none should have to bear. Over joy, happiness, sorrow, and love, their lives take unexpected and sometimes turbulent turns. A retelling of the Magitek knights' lives.
1. Toading Consequences

**Author's Note:** As of 9/12 I am working on revising this story. It has needed it for some time, hence my procrastination in continuing it. Please bear with me as I continue to weed out any grammatical errors and formatting flaws before submitting the next installment; thank you!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own _Final Fantasy VI_ or any of its characters. (oh but how I wish I did!). All rights belong to Square Enix and other developers of the game.

_Chapter One:_

Madam Romanski was a rather short-tempered woman. All the children which she tutored knew this about her. Not one of them liked her in the least. Most were too afraid to speak out about her, as Madam Romanski had been known for handing out rather harsh punishments, such as scrubbing the bathroom floors, the chandeliers in the palace, or, worst yet, clean out the horses' stables. But there were two boys she taught that took great delight in torturing their poor tutor – and almost never got caught.

The day before at dinner, the boys overheard Madam Romanski telling Lady Rochelle, their caretaker, how much she despised toads. She was very tired of seeing them perched on the steps leading up to the school from the pond nearby. So, the younger of the two boys got the notion to see how terrified they could get the woman by finding toads in her room that night. He and his best friend had grabbed some from outside school and hid them throughout her room. Stuffing one in her wardrobe, one in the drawer of her desk, squeezing another into her purse. The younger boy couldn't resist putting one in her pillowcase. He only hoped that it would manage to stay there until she found it. The elder of the two thought that this seemed harsh, even for Madam Romanski. However, the younger one felt that it served her right. Besides, he found it quite humorous.

Quite unfortunately, Madam Romanski's maid found the toads before she did, and, unlike her mistress, was quite unafraid of toads. Having a good notion who'd done this, she reported them to Madam Romanski. After all, this wasn't the first time that someone's room had been "toaded."

But she hadn't reported two names. No, Leo Christophe was too good-natured of a boy for such ill, childish behavior. The only one she saw responsible for such an act would be no other than Kefka Palazzo, the mischief-maker from day one of his arrival in Vector. As such, only one of the boys got the job of cleaning the stables, while the other watched, grinning and stating how idiotic he claimed the idea was to begin with.

"I know, you've said it a billion times already," Kefka snapped at his friend, who was perched on a wall watching as Kefka struggled to keep his rather long hair out of the horses' dung. He wasn't ready to lend a hand for him, though; he thought it was about time Kefka got punished for one of his acts of mischief. There were a time too many that Kefka's actions went without retribution. Not that Kefka's intentions were evil or sinister, he only found it fun to pull pranks on people. Or, in some cases, doing things which he wasn't allowed to do simply for the satisfaction of doing it. Leo wondered to himself when the day would come that Kefka would painfully learn the lesson of abiding by rules. He highly doubted that this was painful enough to get it through his noggin.

"You missed a spot," Leo announced, waiting to see his friend's reaction.

Kefka slowly turned his head to him. "What did you say?"

"I said," Leo said, a bit louder this time. "That you missed a spot, over in the corner under the hay there."

Kefka glanced over, then squinted. _Damn that Leo_, he thought. It was hardly visible! With a scowl, he walked over, scooping it in the bag along with all the other waste particles. He then turned to Leo.

"Anywhere else, my lord?" he asked sardonically. Leo looked around seriously.

"No, I'll let you know if I see any."

Kefka growled, dumping the sack into the wastebasket and putting the utensils back in their original places. The older boy was having too much fun with this. He made a sound to get Kefka's attention.

"Oh, over here I think I see some. Yes, over here, right by me. I think my shadow must've been hiding it."

Kefka had _just_ gotten everything back into place, and had noticed by then that Leo was purposely trying to irritate him. Leo was a great friend, but sometimes, especially when Kefka had been particularly naughty, he was a great pain the rear. Right then was no exception. Angrily he grabbed the scoop and threw it at Leo, hitting him in the chest.

"Then you clean it! I'm sick of you criticizing me!"

"You asked me if I saw anymore, and I told you."

"Once I was done, you idiot! You should've told me sooner before I got all cleaned up."

"Uh, you call that clean? Besides, I was only trying to be helpful." A guilty smirk was now clearly printed on Leo's face.

"No, you weren't. You're trying to mess with me."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are!"

Leo shoved the scoop off his lap, then began brushing the terrible filth off. Unexpectedly, Kefka seized him and yanked him off the wall, sending him falling into a pile of hay, which probably wasn't the cleanest, either.

"You helped me hide those toads, the least you could do is help me clean this place. But no, instead you accuse me, make me feel worse than I already do –"

"You don't feel bad," Leo corrected him. "You're still glad you did it, even though you got caught."

Kefka ignored him and went on. "—And what's more, you let me clean this up, _all by myself_, mocking me in the process. How is that fair?"

Leo frowned. "Kefka, quit it. You're making a big deal out of nothing. It's done now anyway. Well, except for the spot by my feet which I just told you about."

Normally Kefka would've dropped it. But considering he was in a foul mood by spending the past couple of hours tediously cleaning up horse dung, with Leo gleaming over his shoulder, he wasn't going to let Leo off the hook. He shoved him into the grand pile of it. Leo's expression was priceless. He looked simply horrified, reaching out for Kefka.

"Why, you…" he began, leaping out to grab him and throw him in it.

Leo was only two years Kefka's senior, but Kefka was a rather petite ten-year-old. Lightweight and short, he was quite easy for Leo, who was broader and more muscular, to throw around. However, being lighter and shorter made him a bit flightier. He managed to swing out of the way and hide behind a beam. Leo came around from the other side, making a mad grab for him, but again missed as Kefka jumped the way that Leo had come from. The younger boy began scaling the wall which Leo had sat perched on earlier. Leo took a leap after him. With much ease he swung his leg over the wall and began to pull himself up. Kefka's eyes widened with anxiety; Leo wasn't going to quit. It had become a game now. With Leo's strength if he got caught, he was doomed.

He leapt down into the neighboring stable and unlocked the door, dashing out as fast as he possibly could, without a care about what happened to the poor horse he released. Leo scowled; sometimes Kefka really lost his head. He dashed on after him, paying the horse no heed as well. He knew that Kefka'd try to hide the moment he could. And Leo had to admit, he was pretty good at it, too.

Indeed Kefka had hidden, and it became a game of hide-and-seek, with much climbing, jumping, squealing and chasing in between. Sometimes a random punch would be sent one direction or the other, but mostly there was no time for that. It was but a mad, nonsensical chase.

Kefka began running for the courtyards, Leo closely in pursuit. He kept shooting a glance back behind him, which he swore slowed him down. Quite on accident he tripped over a tree's roots, falling flat on his face. In an instant Leo had tackled him, as Kefka desperately tried to fight back, kicking and trying to squirm his way out from under him. Leo definitely had the upper hand. Just as he was about to claim his victory and wrench the smaller boy up a shrill voice cried: "LEO CHRISTOPHE AND KEFKA PALAZZO! WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?!"

They looked up. Madam Romanski stood before them, her eyes narrowed at the sight of them. Both looked quite dirty. Leo for one had horse dung all over his clothes. Leo swallowed hard.

"S-sorry," he stuttered, letting go of Kefka, who immediately rose.

"What were you doing?" Madam Romanski demanded.

"We were just—" Leo began, but got interrupted by Kefka.

"Cleaning the stables, isn't that what we were supposed to be doing?"

Madam Romanski frowned. "Yes, but the stables are _back there_, Palazzo. Not the courtyards, last I looked."

Kefka looked around, trying to play stupid. "Oh, I see. You're quite right. Okay, let me head back there, then!"

"No, wait!" She grabbed Kefka by the collar before he managed to make his getaway. "Seriously, I swear. I've never seen a worse pair of troublemakers in my entire career!"

Kefka shot a glance over at Leo, who glared at him. Oh, why did he always seem to think that anything wrong that they did was all Kefka's fault?

"I'm sorry, Madam Romani… Or, uh…" He stopped, suddenly realizing by the look on his teacher's face that he got the name wrong. "Did I say that right? Well, whatever your name is."

"Kefka! you are the most disrespectful child! No wonder that orphanage where you came from abused you so! With a child like you, I can hardly blame them, and I'm not one to believe in beatings!"

Kefka winced; he did almost every time anyone would mention the orphanage in Thamasa. He'd lived there only three years ago before being brought in by the empire to live alongside the orphaned son of a General, Leo. Although he was gone and never would be going back, the memories of that place still haunted him, and probably always would. He had told Leo stories about what went on in that place, and Leo felt rather sorry for him. He was honestly surprised that officials hadn't already seized the place and shut it down. The children there weren't receiving discipline, but abuse. He turned to Madam Romanski.

"I don't think he meant it rude, Madam Romanski. But probably found it funny."

"No back talk from you, Leo! You should know better than that! Your father raised you up to be a wonderful, intelligent man, don't let kids such as Palazzo change your nobility!"

"What?" Kefka asked. He hadn't heard that one before, and he had heard a lot of things.

"Anyway, never mind. I was sent to round the two of you. The prime minister would like to have a word."

"Really? With us?" Leo asked in surprise, it wasn't often that he got the opportunity to meet with the prime minister, let alone show interest in the children.

"Yes, with the two of you. He said immediately but… Well, needless to say I think you two ought to shower first, and get into some clean clothes as well."

"That goes without saying," Leo admitted, looking down at himself then over at Kefka. He looked nearly just as bad. Not to mention they didn't smell so great. "Thanks, and thanks for not being too cross with us."

Madam Romanski harrumphed, but didn't say anything further.

The two made their way past her, watching with a critical eye as they left.

"I'm going to miss those two," she murmured. "I just don't know what life would be like not to find a toad in my desk once a week."


	2. An Unexpected Move

_Chapter Two:_

Leo came from his room, dressed his best, making his way towards the Prime Minister's office. He didn't know why he felt so nervous, it wasn't his first time meeting him. In fact, back when his father was still alive, he saw him rather regularly. He could almost say he knew him, only the Prime Minister dropped interest in Leo almost immediately after his father's death. Leo supposed it was probably because he didn't see him worth anything anymore.

Leo missed his father dearly. For many years, it had just been him and his dad. His mother died when he was only two, so his father practically raised him on his own, whilst being a general, and a huge role-figure of the empire. Everyone knew General Arthur Christophe's name. He was trusted most amongst all of the generals, and was well known for his nobility and bravery. Lady Rochelle had helped take care of Leo, even back then, for his father was often times too busy to take proper care of him. But he was an excellent father, and in Leo's eyes, no father could ever be better. And with the spare time he had, he always spent it with his son. Even the time he didn't have he shared with him as much as he possibly could. Leo was determined to be just as good of a soldier as his father was – and perhaps even become nearly the general that his father once had been. His father had taught him much in the ways of a soldier. He'd learned all of his swordsmanship from him, and although he was only twelve, his skills put many soldiers, and even a few commanders to the test.

It had been two years since his father passed away, but still Leo thought much of him, and yearned to see him again. It had been rumored that the general had been assassinated, but who would do such a thing was still a mystery. No one was found. No one was punished. It was assumed that the person in which had done this thing was jealous of General Arthur, and wanted him gone, but that was all that was known.

Leo had been a popular child at school, as his father was well respected amongst most of them. They were all eager to get to know the only son of the legendary General Arthur, yet none of them were worthy of being 'true' friends with. They only wanted to live in Leo's shadow for his fame, not to be a friend because they liked him. Leo knew this, and preferred to remain to himself rather than get involved with anyone. At times he felt it wasn't a good choice, but had he gone along with them he wouldn't be friends with Kefka, and that overall had proven to be a very good choice indeed. Kefka had turned out to be the truest of any friend that a boy could have. He was mischievous, yes, and quite the troublemaker when he wanted to be, but despite that he was very honest, and was always a shoulder for Leo to lean on should he ever need it. Kefka was a compassionate listener, and would always be very understanding. Perhaps that had something to do with the life he lived before he was taken in by the empire…

Kefka's past was not a pretty one. Leo cringed the first time he had heard it, and still did whenever he would see the many scars on Kefka's back from the cruel whippings he would receive at the orphanage. It took a long time for Kefka to manage to open up about his past, as it bothered him greatly to speak of it, but overtime, and as he got to know Leo, he did. Although, he still preferred not to think about it.

Kefka had been raised in an orphanage in Thamasa ever since he was a baby. His parents weren't dead – or at least not to his knowledge, but they didn't want him. He was told by the orphanage that his mother herself brought him in, saying she couldn't care for him. She was a young woman with a pretty face, probably too young to care for him, or even be interested in a son that belonged to her. It hurt, and still did, to know that he was abandoned by his parents as a baby. He liked to shrug it off, pretend like it didn't matter, but Leo could tell by the wistful look in his eyes when he'd mention it that it indeed bother him, and it did matter.

The orphanage that he was left at wasn't a rich one. Nor was it that dingy of a place, it just wasn't provided much money by the state. The caretakers were the result of the lack of money put into the orphanage. They were unkind, brutal people, who would lose patience with the children frequently and result in beating. The worse of a beating the children received, the better the children would become, they thought. None of the children were really that 'bad', but because of the treatment that they received, they were not well disciplined in the way of responding to situations, or even dealing with their emotions, that they often times were a little 'out of control' and misbehaved, _a lot._ Kefka was more of a quiet one, a loner who didn't like to get in the middle of things with the other kids. It seemed like whoever did, regardless of how innocent of a grouping it was, would always get scolded, and the scoldings weren't pleasant, so he attempted to stay away from social gatherings as much as possible.

Much confusion, much fear and many tears were shed throughout the orphanage. Kefka was bound and determined to run away, and eventually he did, only to get caught by some man who brought him back to the accursed place. He had forgotten his name, but his memory of the man still lingers, and he still hates him. He's sworn to it that he always will.

It didn't help that Kefka was a mischievous child, and was always attempting to do something to break rules, or to get things in which he was denied. Part of this was engrained into him, but some of it developed from the treatment he received from the orphanage, and this was a response to it. He found it the key way to his survival. It wasn't until he was about seven years old that a general of the Empire came one day to interview all of the orphans. They liked Kefka, they liked his strong personality, and that the orphanage he suffered in hadn't made him weak, or tainted his personality, like it had to most of the children there. They were traumatized beyond repair, or at least most of them were. He was then brought in to live in the palace under the care of Lady Rochelle and to be trained under General Arthur himself in the ways of a soldier. That was when he had met Leo, and almost immediately they had become best friends.

Leo had fond memories of their first meeting, and how they had become very much like brothers after his father died. They made a vow that they would always be close, something that Leo was determined to honor forever.

He came to the Prime Minister's office and knocked on the door before entering.

Marcus Gilfiroyd was a hard man, not one to undermine. Even Kefka kept a straight face about him in his presence. Leo was un-phased by him, for the most part, probably because he had known him since he was very young.

Gilfiroyd looked up upon Leo's entrance and nodded. Leo returned this with a smile and walked over to his desk, a hand outstretched to shake his.

"Prime Minister Gilfiroyd, sir. It's very good to see you again." Leo said, still smiling.

"Ah yes, Leo. Same goes to you. It has been far too long, my old friend." He barely smiled, giving Leo the sense to walk away and take a seat beside Kefka, who was busily trying to knot a beaded necklace for a little girl standing before him, as she was babbling away about some event which she found to be of importance.

Terra Branford was five years old, and a very adorable, lovable child. Leo enjoyed her very much, but Kefka had really taken to her from day one of her arrival. Terra seemed to respond to this very warmly. Many times Leo found Kefka with her, dressing her up just like a baby doll. He'd get her to laugh, and smile, and he could just about persuade her to do anything he wanted her to, he could even get her to do things that Lady Rochelle couldn't. Eating peas for instance, although Kefka didn't prefer making her have to do that, as he didn't care for them much himself. She had been living in the palace for the past two years with Kefka and Leo. Although Leo and Kefka weren't quite sure why. The explanation that they had received from Lady Rochelle was that Terra's parents were of great importance to the Empire, and the emperor only felt it fair that he at least care for Terra. In that, he deemed it fit that she be raised in the palace, along with the other two orphans that he also cared for. They felt sorry for Terra not having any parents, but Terra couldn't remember them, nor did she know what parents really were. So this never bothered her. She did just fine under Lady Rochelle's delicate care, and the love she received from Leo, Kefka and occasionally, Celes.

On the other side of Leo sat a little girl with long, full, pale-blonde hair and ice blue eyes. She too was orphaned, only she had lost her parents a year ago, and she still cried for them frequently. She didn't understand the meaning of death, or that people that had died were gone forever, that next week they won't come back to pick her up from this dreaded place. Not that you could call the palace 'dreaded', but to Celes, that was exactly how she saw it. She had been living with them a year, and as Kefka put it, and was probably most accurate, she was the most bitter, spoiled child that he had ever encountered. Perhaps Celes hadn't been spoiled, but she was definitely well pampered. The Chere family was a rich one. Her father had worked as a commander of the Empire, while her mother was a stay-at-home mom that devoted all of her time to raising her daughter. They lived in a grand home in the northern part of Jidoor, with her father returning home from duty in Vector every other month for a weekend, and for a week on the major holidays. They had died in an attack at a dinner party, while Celes had stayed with a babysitter.

Kefka couldn't stand the girl, nor did Celes show any feelings of care or concern towards the boy, so it was safe to say the two of the didn't get along well at all. Terra and Celes were the same age, and both girls, so they were quite fortunate to have each other. Yet their personalities were quite conflicting, and it was often times hard for them to find a common ground to get along on. Terra was a soft spoken, quiet, sensitive girl, while Celes was quite vocal, outspoken and rather haughty. Leo felt sorry for her, Kefka thought she was a brat. Celes liked Leo very much, she called Leo 'big brother' on occasion, which made Kefka sick. The four of them felt like they were in the same place in life, and in result, they were very close (with the exception of the Kefka/Celes dispute, which was all really just a matter of letting go of their own egos long enough to get along.)

The Prime Minister set aside his reading glasses, and leaned forward, looking into each pair of eyes in front of him intently.

"Now, I've been told to speak to you by the Emperor himself." He said. "I'm not sure how much Lady Rochelle has already told you, or how much you have gathered yourself. So I will start from the beginning to save anyone confusion.

"The emperor no longer has room for you to stay in the palace. However, you all won't be going into the streets. He's found you a new home, and the good news is that you'll all get to stay together."

Leo nodded. "That is great news, thank you. I'm sure wherever we're going we'll be fine."

The Prime Minister looked grave. "I should hope so. As you're not going into just any normal home, but will live under professor Cid de la Vega himself. Do any or all of you know who he is?"

"Cid," Kefka repeated to himself, more than to anyone. "He's the head scientist of the Magitek Research Facility."

"Yes, that he is. A pure genius too." From the bitter edge in the prime minister's voice as he said this, Leo doubted that he truly meant it. "Anyway, you will be staying with him, in a reserved part of one of the towers. There's lots of trouble, and mayhem you can get into and the magitek research facility, I'd advise that you don't. Any trouble any of you might cause while you're there could quite possibly result in your removal from the facility and be sent elsewhere." He looked directly at Kefka upon saying this.

"Sounds great. Anything else we should know?" Leo asked him.

"Wait –" Kefka interrupted. "I'm confused, why are we going to be staying in the magitek research facility?"

The prime minister glared at him. "Kefka, have you not been listening to what I've been saying?"

"No, I heard what all you said. But… why? I mean, why there? The research facility is meant for research on magitek, why would we be going there? Are we still meant to become soldiers? Forgive me for asking, but I don't see how this makes any sense."

The Prime Minister did not look happy, and seemed for a moment lost for words, as if Kefka had asked a question he really shouldn't have, as the Prime Minister wasn't prepared to answer it.

"First of all, Kefka you are a child. You are not meant to comprehend all of the Emperor's dealings and choices. He has chosen you all to live in the facility, and that is what you will do, understand? You have no need to worry yourself further. The Emperor is doing what is in your best interests, and what is in the best interests of Vector. He knows what he is doing, and I'd advise you to not question him."

Kefka opened his mouth to argue, then shut it again, feeling that he'd get nowhere with this man. He definitely felt that something was fishy, and that the Prime Minister wasn't being entirely truthful.

"Now, pack your bags. You're leaving tonight at eleven o' clock sharp. And _listen to me_," He leaned further forward, and spoke in a very low voice. "I want you to tell no one of your leaving, except for Lady Rochelle. No good-byes, as they won't be good-byes, you'll see them again. The emperor wants your transfer to remain silent."

"But, why?" Kefka couldn't resist asking.

"BECAUSE I SAID SO!" The Prime Minister said irritably. "Now then, please. Be on your way. Lady Rochelle will meet you at the front entrance, along with a few of my men. Older ones, please help the younger ones pack, or prepare them in any other way which may be needed. You don't want to be late."

Many questions and concerns filled both Leo and Kefka's minds, the girls were too young to fully understand what was happening to be concerned or to question what was going on. But the Prime Minister, they knew, was not the one to direct their questions to. He was already impatient enough as it was, and seemed definitely on edge with any question that Kefka would ask. They bid the Prime Minister farewell, and went on about their way, wondering why the sudden move, and why they could tell no one of it.

Little did they know how drastically their lives would change, and that at that very moment, they were walking into what would nearly destroy their lives.

Author's Note: Second chapter, woo-hoo! I'm hoping to get this story completed in a decent time frame, unlike some of my other fanfics, and a fanfic which I haven't even managed to complete yet. Please read and review, I'd love to hear your thoughts, and any input you may have, good or bad. I hope this isn't too fast paced, and that what's going on so far all makes sense.


	3. The Magitek Research Facility

Chapter three: The Magitek Research Facility

The air was cold and bitter the night they arrived at the research facility. It was going on that time of year when it would be warm during the day and cold at night. The four children marched up the steps leading up to the Magitek Research Facility, with Lady Rochelle and two imperial soldiers in the lead. They indeed had left in secrecy, although why it was needed was unknown to the children. When Kefka had asked Lady Rochelle about it, she came near tears, remaining aloof with her answer. He later tried prodding the subject with the soldiers, only to be yelled at in response. He kept rather quiet after that.

Leo was wise enough to accept orders, knowing that even if he didn't like them there was nothing he could do about it. He was concerned, but kept faith in the prime minister and emperor that they were acting in their best interests. He just didn't know why their departure was meant to be a secret, or why they were departing at all. It was strange. All of it was.

The two leading soldiers opened the facility's double doors, granting them entrance to the massive facility. The room beyond nearly took their breath away. There were halls leading every direction, and staircases-oh the staircases! They stopped at each floor, turning before proceeding to the next, rotating to the top of the eight story building. It was quite an impressive sight. Painted glass glittered above them in the dome-shaped ceiling. Chandeliers supported by delicate chains further adorned the uppermost ceiling. The center of the room was open on all floors. When Terra walked over to the gold-tinted banister, she could see clear down to the first floor. It was without a doubt beautiful, yet daunting all at once. The children hadn't seen anything quite like it.

Lady Rochelle turned to face them. "Okay, kids. We're going to be meeting with Professor Cid now, so everyone be on your best behavior, okay?" A frown creased the woman's pale brow. "Celes, honey, what's the matter?"

Celes was wearing a dress of ice-blue, layered with a velvet coat trimmed with faux fur. Celes was tugging on the fur collar furiously, eyes red, with a look that indicated she might cry.

"This collar...I hate it! Get it off!"

"But Celes, it looks pretty."

"I don't care. It scratches me, and it's too tight. Take it off! OFF!"

"Celes," Leo began to try to reason, but Celes was far beyond reasoning. She already began unbuttoning her coat, while Rochelle grabbed up her two small hands in hers and began to speak softly to her.

"I know it's bothering you, and I'm sorry. But just keep it on until we meet the professor, okay?"

Celes pouted, but nodded. She liked it when people said they were sorry. Plus, she liked Rochelle. She had been sort of a replacement mother when hers died, so she respected her greatly.

Once Rochelle had managed to somewhat calm her down, she led them to a room off the main hall. She smoothed her hair back, took a reassuring glance over her shoulder to be sure they still looked fairly decent, then knocked on the door.

It was apparent that Rochelle was not herself. It made Leo even more uneasy, watching her fidget unnecessarily with her keys and constantly smooth her hair back; something she would routinely do when she was distressed. Leo tried to reason that perhaps it was because they were leaving and she'd miss them. Yes, that must've been it.

After several moments of tension passed, a man opened the door. He was short and a little heavy, with large round glasses taking up much of his face. He blinked, looking at Rochelle puzzled for a moment. Realization then seemed to dawn on him as his expression changed into a warm smile. Sis eyes darted over to the four children, waiting timidly for an introduction.

"Hello, Professor. It's very nice to see you again," Rochelle said, extending her hand to shake his.

"Yes, yes, of course," Cid said distractedly, getting a better look at the children, Terra in particular, Kefka noted.

"I hope it's really alright, allowing them to stay here."

"Nonsense! I mean, no. No, of course it's alright! Yes, yes. Now, where was I?"

Leo and Kefka exchanged glances. Was this the amazing, brilliant professor that they had heard so much about? For some reason, this wasn't quite what they had imagined.

"Ah yes, welcome kids! Welcome to the largest research facility you'll ever encounter in the world!"

"Yes, it's brilliant. Do you actually live here?" Leo asked politely, trying to break up the awkwardness that fell amongst them.

"As a matter of fact I do. Same as many of the employers here. Lots of them stay."

"So, it's perfectly normal to be living here then?" Kefka asked.

Cid eyed him for a moment in a curious manner. "Yeah, who ever told you it wasn't? Now then, it's getting pretty late, and I don't know about you two boys, but the little ones look like they're getting kinda tired standing there like that. We'd best get a move on that tour." Cid stopped, noticing Celes grabbing at her collar like there was no tomorrow. "Oh, hey now; are you okay?"

Kefka, noticing what she was doing, snatched her arm roughly.

"Stop that!" he hissed, making Celes wail loudly.

"It's just her collar, sir," Leo explained calmly, although the scene with Kefka and Celes beside him was far from calm. "It's… Umm, scratching her."

"Well, then, off with the collar! Is it just the coat that it's attached to or...?"

"I'm sorry, I must insist that she keep it on. She's been getting sick a lot this season, and I fear she might catch cold if she takes it off. It's rather nippy out there," Rochelle explained apologetically.

Celes met Cid with tear-filled ice-blue eyes, piercing the professor's heart.

"What's your name?" Cid asked her.

Celes stifled a sniffle, then replied after a long pause. "Celes."

"Ah, so you're Celes. The prime minister's told me a bit about you. I knew your dad, he was a good man." Cid paused, looking upon the others. "And what are all of your names? Forgive me, they've probably been given to me before, I'm just getting old and senile so, naturally, I forgot them. Which one of you is Arthur Christophe's son?"

"I am, sir," came Leo's response.

Cid grinned at him.

"Of course, why didn't I notice? You look just like him. I'll bet you act just like him, too. I knew your dad, of course. Another good man. The best one I've met since… Well, the best one I've ever met, I guess. And you're—" He paused, looking over at Terra expectantly.

"Terra Branford," she replied shyly, digging her toe into the floor.

Cid looked her up and down a moment, then nodded.

"Nice to meet you. I didn't know your parents. Well… I sort of knew your dad, but never mind that just now. And… I don't think I know your name, either." He glanced over at Kefka.

"Kefka Palazzo."

"Oh yeah, now I remember the emperor mentioning you! He says you've got a brilliant mind, is that true?"

Kefka blinked, then looked down. How to answer something like that? Cid laughed by Kefka's response.

"Well, anyway. It's nice to meet you, too. Now that we've got our intros in, let's get a quick tour around the place before I show you to the hall where you'll be staying."

Rochelle nodded to the two soldiers that had been waiting silently at the door. "I've got it from here, thank you."

They nodded respectfully to Rochelle, before turning on heel to head down the marble-floored hall. Kefka didn't feel sorry to see them go; he was always nervous around the imperial guards.

Cid led them out of the room and did a quick walkthrough of the first floor.

"This is where most of my office stuff is, really. Upstairs I've got storage departments, supplies, and all of that stuff. Then there's my research lab which takes up a couple of the floors as well. The rest of it is random stuff and magitek. The magitek part of this facility takes up the majority of this place. This is where the magitek armor is manufactured, so as you can imagine by the massive size of the suits how much space it's taking up here in my facility. Although I'm not happy about it."

"Can we see some?" Kefka asked eagerly.

Cid shook his head. "Not tonight, I'm afraid all my machines have been put to bed. But perhaps some other time. Yes, remind me. I'll make sure you see them some other time."

Cid led them upstairs and through a few more rooms. The children were all tired, the girls in particular. Celes was getting more and more irritated by her collar, although she tried her best to ignore it. Rochelle finally gave up and took the coat off. Terra was walking alongside Kefka, holding his hand and leaning into him occasionally whenever they'd to examine an uninteresting room. Kefka looked down at her fondly. She had been so quiet since they had gotten there; anyone could've easily forgotten her presence. She was such a patient, observant child. So much so that sometimes it scared him. She'd always been highly intelligent. At five, she already knew how to read and do many other things that most five year olds could not. Kefka had never addressed her on this matter, however; she was so sensitive about being different that she'd probably get upset instead of happy. Her differences did worry him occasionally, yet he didn't want to call it weird or strange. It was unique, and that's how he liked to word it to her whenever she asked him why she was so different than everyone else.

"That's because you're special!" he'd tell her with a smile.

"But I don't like being special, I want to be the same and have blond hair just like you, Leo, and Celes do, or a color that normal people have. I want to be normal," she replied sadly.

"No, you are normal." He took her small, frail hands in his. "You're just unique. I think your seafoam hair is pretty."

She shot him a skeptical glance. "Would you like it if your hair was green?"

He hesitated. That question was a little difficult to answer the way that she didn't expect to hear it.

Kefka loved her very dearly. She was special, he could sense that about her. And even if she wasn't seen as such to others, she would always be that way to him.

At last, Cid led them through a door to the left.

"This leads to the East Tower," Cid informed them. "Inside is the hall that you'll be staying in."

He lit a lantern before leading them through the darkened corridor. No word besides eerie would describe it adequately. It didn't hold the exciting warmth that the central part of the facility possessed, but instead it was cold, desolate, and foreboding. Terra didn't like it, nor did Celes as she clutched Rochelle's hand tightly and whimpered that she wanted to go home.

As they were walking down the dark corridor slowly, Terra heard someone whisper her name. She glanced around, but no one behind her was looking directly at her, so she assumed that she was merely imagining it.

"Terra—"

She was certain that someone had said her name that time, only it didn't sound like any of their voices. She frowned, squinting around in the darkness trying to catch the shape of some figure calling her name. But she could see nothing.

"Terra, you have come at last."

"We've been awaiting you."

"Please, help us. We need you."

She jumped, breathing hard and frantically grabbing any part of Kefka that she could, which resulted in his bag.

"What's the matter?" he asked her.

"W-what's that whispering?" she murmured.

"Whispering?"

"Didn't you hear it?"

Kefka grew quiet, listening as they continued to walk along the corridor to keep up with the others. "Do you hear it now?"

"Well, no –"

"Then don't worry about it. It was probably someone down the hall or something."

She wished that he was right, but she feared it was something else. She sensed a great presence within the area. Something odd; something she had never felt before. Whatever it was, it felt quite powerful, and sent a warmth up her spine. One thing was for sure: she didn't like it.

They passed a set of double doors, which were set up in the most peculiar fashion. The doors were chained, with a thick metal lock binding them together. The doors were heavy enough on their own without the reinforcement of the chain, having been made of solid iron.

Leo frowned and cocked his head. He'd never seen anything like it. "What—"

"Don't ask," Cid said lowly. "Dangerous stuff is in there. That's why I had to chain it up. Nothing that'll ever concern you kids, so long as you stay far clear away from this door."

"But sir," Kefka interrupted, as he was quite good at, "why chain up the door? Is it that you're afraid someone'll get in, or that something will get out—"

"Kefka, please," Cid said impatiently. "Please, I don't want to tell you more because I don't want any of you getting too curious and decide to check it out. Believe me, it's dangerous. And at all costs, _never open that door_. You hear me? There's lots of things that you can't do, but you still sort of can. This is one of those that you cannot, no matter the circumstances."

This merely made them all curious about what was beyond those doors, but no one chose to question him further. It was apparent that Cid didn't fancy to talk about it, and, considering it was their first night there, they thought it best to keep a good impression.

Terra then heard the whisperings again, this time they sounded as though they were coming directly from the forbidden doors.

"Come to us."

"Alone, without the others. They will stop you."

"Come save…us."

Terra gasped, pointing at the doors, her eyes as wide as sand-dollars.

Cid turned around to look at her, as did Leo.

"T-there's something in there! It's calling me to come help them!" she squealed, her eyes darting frantically, reminiscent to an animal trapped in a cage.

"Nothing's in there, sweetheart. I just didn't want to elaborate because I don't want these boys to get any funny ideas, like trying to break into my stuff, that's all," Cid answered uneasily, glancing between Terra and the door awkwardly.

"But I heard them! Who is it? Who keeps talking to me?!"

"No one's there. I promise you."

Rochelle looked over at Cid concernedly.

"Professor, I really hate to doubt you, and please forgive me for doing so, but I feel I have the right to know since I am entrusting these children to you. What exactly is behind those doors that Terra is hearing? She's a very honest child, I know she isn't lying to us," Rochelle said, releasing Celes's hand to put her arms around Terra's shoulders.

"No, I'm telling you, there's nothing there," he insisted. "Can anyone hear anything now? Did anyone hear the whispers before?"

They all looked over at Terra. They had been pretty quiet while they were walking down the hall, surely at least one of them would've heard it at the same time that Terra had.

"Hearing voices isn't good," Leo muttered, assuming that the whispers Terra heard were only within her imagination.

Rochelle bit her lip, looking at Terra as well. "She has been different from other children her age," Rochelle admitted. "I thought only for the better but... Oh, I hope there's no issue. Do you really just think that she, well, _heard _these voices?"

Terra began to look frightened as they all discussed her, her differences, and that there was something wrong with her. She buried her face in her hands and hid behind Kefka, trying to disappear from all of them. Kefka turned around to face her and crouched down to her eye level.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure you just heard something else around here." Kefka looked around uncertainly. Although he tried to make excuses for what she heard, there really wasn't that much that could've made sounds that no one else could hear. "It's a big place. Besides, you're tired. You just need to sleep."

Leo, excited to jump on Kefka's reasoning, nodded. "Yeah, Terra. You're just tired. Don't get upset, I don't think you're crazy or anything. I didn't mean—" Leo stopped when Kefka shot him a warning glance.

"Okay everyone! This door is the entrance to the East Tower. Just a bit further now, let's go!" Cid said loudly, clapping his hands together to get their attention.

Distractedly, and now well exhausted from all the excitement, they were led down another dark corridor, through a doorway, and into a small hall. It had five doors leading off from it.

"The two rooms on your left are the bedrooms," Cid told them. "The boys will be sharing one of the rooms, and the girls the other. Sorry, I tried to get you all separate rooms, but the emperor said you all had to stay in this hall, for some specific reasons. So!" He quickly changed the subject, whipping around to face the opposite wall. "Over there to the left is the bathroom, and a library. You guys are welcome to use the library to your heart's content, but I'm a book lover, so please don't do anything to wreck the books or there'll be hell to pay." He grinned in a silly way as he said this.

He began to lead them up the hall a ways to the very end where a single door lay. "And here is the game-room. Consider it your playroom, or living space. It's fairly large, with lots of windows, and some toys and games too. I reckon you all will find lots of fun in there."

Cid turned around to face them all.

"I'll be explaining all the important rules and all that tomorrow, since it's too late for that now. So, I'll be back sometime in the morning to fill you in on all of that. In the meantime, rest, goodnight, and sleep well." Cid turned to Rochelle and added quietly, "Why don't you say your good-byes now?"

Painfully, she looked upon the children. She struggled to keep the tears from her eyes, yet failed terribly as she broke out crying when she hugged Celes.

She pulled her face away, looking longingly into the little girl's ice-blue eyes she treasured dearly.

"Now, be a good little girl for Professor Cid, okay?" she said thickly, rolling a small lock of Celes's long blond hair around her finger.

Celes nodded.

"Mind him, and… Just remember that nothing lasts forever, things _will_ change eventually. I promise."

"Will I ever see you again?"

Rochelle bit her lip, looking over the trembling child.

"Well… What does your heart tell you?"

Celes hesitated a moment. "What does that mean?" she asked finally.

Rochelle laughed bitterly and stroked down her hair. "Never mind, I'm sure that one day, if I live to see it, we will."

Celes then began to cry, and threw her arms around her foster mother. After a moment, Rochelle straightened herself, then turned to face Leo.

"You're such a sweet, brave boy. Stay that way for me, okay?" She rubbed his cheek affectionately before leaning closer to whisper, "And… Try to keep Kefka in line. He needs your help more than you realize."

Leo grinned, and nodded. "I will, Lady Rochelle. Thank you."

She turned to Kefka without reaching out towards him in any way; she didn't feel that she knew the boy as she did Celes and Leo.

"Mind yourself, Kefka. I know right now you're dying to run down there at the earliest opportunity to crack that lock of those iron doors, but I'm telling you: don't. Your curiosity will get you hurt one day, mark my words."

Kefka chuckled softly, then looked down. Rochelle pulled his chin up so that his sharp blue eyes met her soft brown ones. "Take care, please."

Kefka smiled, then said rather sarcastically, "Oh, with Leo around, I'm sure I won't be able to manage that for long."

Rochelle smiled in return, shaking a finger at him as she moved towards Terra.

"I don't think I'll ever see you again." Terra said quietly, looking grave.

"Well, why not?" Rochelle asked her.

"Because, because the way that you're saying goodbye. If you thought that you'd see us again, then why are you so sad?"

_"Smart girl,"_ Rochelle thought bitterly to herself. _"Too smart for her own good. Especially in this place that she's going to be in."_

Rochelle smiled. "Oh, Terra, you're being silly. We'll see each other again. Just you wait and see." She embraced her tightly. Out of all the children, she felt the most concerned for her.

She stood up to face Cid. "Please, if you find out anything on the voices aspect... Well, please keep me informed. I really want to know."

"Absolutely, milady."

"Also, if anything should go wrong with any of the others I want to know immediately. I am here for them."

"Of course," Cid replied.

"Celes has been getting colds rather frequently, it's making me nervous. Try to keep an eye on it."

Cid laughed. "Lady, I've got it all under control. And anything that I don't have in control, I'll contact you. Okay?"

"Okay."

Rochelle turned to face them all one last time. She didn't allow anyone else to know her suspicions, but she expected that this probably really would be the last time that she'd ever see them again.

"Goodbye. I've taken much joy in caring for you."

They all said their goodbyes, made a hundred promises that they'd be good, a couple of threats that they wouldn't, and that they'd care of one another during their stay. With much effort, Rochelle turned and was on her way down the darkened hall. And, deep in her heart, she knew that she'd never see any of them again.

**Author's Note:**

I want to give a big thank you to all of my reviewers so far! I greatly appreciate all of the comments that I have received. It helps me to realize what I've done wrong in my writing, what things that people have liked about it, and overall I can continue to improve throughout the following chapters. It's so rewarding to see that people have read my work, and to acknowledge it by leaving a review makes it even more wonderful. Thank you all, readers and reviewers alike :)

I hope this chapter delved a bit deeper into the main story plot. The first two chapters were necessary for the story to come to this, but really didn't play a significant role in the plot itself. I hope everyone is enjoying the story thus far, and to any of those who don't like what's going on so far and are thinking "what did you do to the 'fantasy' part of this story!" hold out— you won't be disappointed! This story will be quite long, probably consisting of at least 25 chapters or so.

Anyway, thanks as always! Reviews, and especially constructive criticism is always welcome!


	4. Hidden Intents

**Chapter 4: Hidden Intents**

Sunlight bathed Terra's face as she squinted around the unfamiliar room. It took her a moment to recall the events from the night before. In some ways she preferred not to remember them; it was all quite scary to her.

The girls had been relatively easy to put to bed the night before, both having been too tired to protest. Celes crashed the moment that she hit the pillows. Terra, however, was a bit more troublesome to get to sleep. She had spent a good hour tossing and turning after the boys left, and half debated going into their room, just for their comforting. But in the end she became too afraid to leave the room alone, lest she hear those terrifying voices again.

She didn't want to think about the voices anymore. Every time she had she feared that there indeed was something wrong with her, a painful realization that no one wants to reach. After all, why could she hear the voices whereas no one else could?

She looked over at Celes, who lay sleeping peacefully beside her. In some—no, many—ways, she envied the girl who was like her twin. Celes seemed to have everything that Terra longed for, including recollection of her parents. Celes was also pampered more, and easily got her way. But mostly, she was what you'd classify as _normal_: a status that Terra would do anything for.

Terra got out of bed and pulled back the heavy draperies, letting sunlight bathe the entire bedroom. The room was quite cheery, with floral wallpaper and a floral bedspread of bright yellow to match. There also was a white chest-of-drawers, as well as a matching set of bureau drawers and a small white desk. The carpet was luscious and thick; when walked on the imprints would last until you smoothed it down with your fingertips. Yes, the professor had prepared for them well. If the situation hadn't been so eerie, Terra would've quite liked the transfer. Her room now was much nicer and considerably larger than the one that she had at the imperial palace. Besides, she preferred to share a room with someone. A room isolated all by herself always made her feel uncomfortable.

The light hitting Celes's face made her stir, then slowly she opened an eye to look at Terra, who was grinning at her.

"Good morning, Celes," she greeted warmly.

Celes frowned, then sat up, looking around for a clock. Although it wouldn't have done her much good even if she _had _found what she was looking for, as she couldn't tell time. She would have to ask Terra to read the clock and tell her what time it was; another one of Terra's early learnings.

"Good morning. Do you think Rochelle's coming to see us?"

Terra looked at her awkwardly. "Do you mean today?"

Celes nodded, cuddling her plush teddy bear close to her cheek.

"I don't think so. She said we wouldn't see her again in a while, remember?"

Celes looked as though she might cry.

"But I don't like it here! I want to go home! This place scares me!"

Overall, the research facility scared Terra, too. But some aspects of living there didn't seem so bad, and they'd probably like it after they got used to it. She tried to reason this with Celes, and reluctantly she calmed down.

"But, what about those voices that you heard? What if they come for us?" Celes asked her.

Terra hadn't thought of that.

Just then a knock came at the door.

"Come in!" Terra called.

Leo came bursting in the room, a wide grin on his face. His hair was slicked back as though he'd taken a shower, and was dressed his best.

"Good morning! Did you two sleep well?"

"Leo!" Celes sprang forward to the edge of the bed to give him a hug. "Please say we're going home today, please? This place is big and scary."

Leo chuckled softly, stroking her thick blond hair.

"Wasn't the palace scary too when you first moved in there?" he asked her.

Celes thought about it a moment, then nodded.

"Well, it's just the same here. It'll take some getting used to. You'll see, trust me." Leo tickled her chin, making her laugh. "I'm sure we'll have great fun here! Professor Cid seems like a very nice man. I'm sure we're in a good place. Besides, Lady Rochelle loves us, she wouldn't let anything bad happen to us."

"I know," Celes admitted. "But it still scares me."

"Do you really think it'll be okay here?" Terra asked him.

Leo turned his soft green eyes onto her.

"I really think so. Besides, I doubt this is a very permanent fix. This is the Magitek Research Facility, and Cid's a scientist, not a foster father. They probably didn't have anywhere else for us to go at the moment, so they set us here for the time being. It makes sense," Leo rationalized.

Terra shrugged. "Kefka thinks something is fishy."

"Kefka has an overly-suspicious mind, it's called paranoia. He's unfamiliar with this place, too. Just like you little tykes… But, uh, let's not let him know I said that."

The two girls giggled. Leo had definitely brightened their mood; he always did. It was something Leo was known for: always the optimist. This always sickened Kefka, who was normally known as the antonym of optimistic.

"Where _is_ Kefka, anyway?" Terra asked him.

"I actually don't know, asleep probably. That's how I left him back in our room when I went to go take a shower."

"Is your room the size of ours?" Celes asked.

Leo looked around, trying to compare sizes. "Uh, I think so. Our room appears to be a little smaller, but I think that's only because we've got two beds in there instead of one, which takes up more space. But the room itself is about the same size. Not to mention we've got our stuff all piled up in a corner, which doesn't help as far as space goes."

"Do you like it here?" Terra asked.

Leo chuckled. "Well, it's a little hard to know that already, Terra. We just got here last night."

"But do you think you'll like it here?"

"Sure."

Suddenly, they heard a loud bang from down the hall, then a door slam. The shuffling of feet could be heard, as well as Cid's voice booming.

"I knew I'd have to lock the door to keep you in, I knew it! Why couldn't you have just listened to me when I said _wait here!_?"

"I'm sorry, Professor!" Kefka said, sounding out of breath as though he'd been running. "I didn't really realize that you meant to literally _wait_. I thought you were simply using it as a figure of speech."

"No, Kefka, no… I mean what I say, and I say it all for a reason. Now, when I tell you to do something, you do it. Understand?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Good, no more wandering around. Like I said before, this place can be dangerous."

"I'm not scared," was Kefka's response.

"Good," Cid said shortly. "Because _I am_. And I'm scared to see what the emperor'd do to me if something happened to you."

Curiously, Terra, Celes, and Leo came down the hall to meet them. What had happened was quite apparent to them; Kefka had left to go wandering about. Where he went and what his motives were, Leo didn't know, but his best guess was it wasn't anything good. Kefka was notorious for wandering about and getting into trouble.

"Hello, kids! Sorry to sound like such a grump, it's just I found Kefka here trying to get into the chemical room and got a bit alarmed, that's all."

Leo shot Kefka a glance, which Kefka immediately avoided by looking at the floor, shuffling his feet.

"I didn't know it was the chemical room," he muttered under his breath.

"Anyway, y'all must be hungry. How would you like to have some breakfast with me? I brought it all into the playroom. There's a table and chairs in there, too, by the way," Cid offered.

They followed Cid into the playroom. They hadn't really inspected the room carefully the night before, as they were so tired by the time they finally got there. The room had much more stuff than they had remembered. There were several old trunks which they were just itching to investigate, shelves with art supplies, and several other odds and ends.

As Cid had said, there was a set of table and chairs to the far right of the room beside a bay window. It was a very lovely place to eat, with sunshine pouring over you and an excellent view of the courtyard.

As Terra watched Cid rearrange food on the trays and get plates situated with Leo's help, someone snatched up her hand. She turned around abruptly to see it was Kefka.

"How did you sleep last night?" he asked her.

Terra shook her head. "It was okay."

He leaned closer and whispered, "Didn't hear anymore voices again, did you?"

"No," Terra said. "But I thought about it all night, I couldn't sleep."

Kefka looked concerned. "Did...did they say something mean?"

Terra's eyes met his, light flickering through her deep green ones.

"Do you mean you believe me?" she asked hopefully.

"I never said I didn't. No, of course I believe you, Terra. Why would you lie about something like this? I just"—he paused, stealing a glance at the others as Cid showed them their meal—"don't know why _you're_ the only one that could hear it."

"Do you think I'm going mad?"

Kefka smiled at her, then ran a finger down her cheek.

"Nonsense, you're brilliant. We probably just weren't paying enough attention, that's all. " Kefka flung his long blond hair over his shoulder, which hadn't been brushed that morning. He was also still in his pajamas and robe. "Now, what did they say, exactly?"

Terra opened her mouth to tell him, when Cid's voice called out to them.

"Hurry, you two! The food's getting cold!"

Terra shrugged, wanting to tell him, but he shook his head.

"Never mind, later. Okay?"

The others were already seated at the table, digging into the large breakfast. There was scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and even a few pancakes, although Leo had decided to leave those for Celes and Terra; they seemed to appreciate them far more than he did. Kefka and Terra took seats opposite of Leo and Celes, with Cid at the head of the table. It took a long while for Cid to say anything, being evasive as always. It wasn't until after they were finished and were cleaning the table that Cid finally spoke, all the while seeming troubled.

"Sorry to just up and run after eating, you guys. It's just I've got a ton of work to do at the lab today, and I know if I don't get started early, well…" He broke off, studying Terra carefully. For some reason, Cid had such a fascination for Terra in general. Kefka particularly hated the way that Cid kept singling her out, as though her "differences" made her truly different from them. He feared perhaps Terra noticed.

"Anyway, never mind. I'm sure you guys don't want to hear all the worries and woes of a scientist. I'll come back again later in the evening. I'm working on getting a refrigerator put up here, so you all can have your own supply of food and won't always have to rely on me, just in case you need anything and I'm not around to get it for you."

"Thank you, that's very considerate of you, Professor," Leo told him.

"No, no. No thanking me, please. It's the least I can do. I want you all to be as comfortable here as possible. Oh and also, just call me Cid. I get awfully tired of all the formalities around here, it'd be nice for a change to have someone around here on more friendly terms."

He earned a huge smile from Celes, which he returned before continuing.

"You know, I've never had kids of my own, but I do love them to pieces. It's really a great honor that I get to take care of you guys, it's almost as if I'm finally getting to experience what I missed out on. I hope you all will give me a chance, and won't mind it here too awfully bad. I really did try to prepare for you guys as best I could before you got here."

"I love my room," Celes told him. "It's beautiful."

"You took great care in trying to set things up so we'd enjoy them. You did fine, don't beat yourself up," Kefka added in assent.

"Thanks. Now, there's a few things I need to go over with you… I think it's a bunch of nuisance, really, but it's not my place to say, so… Here it is: the emperor asked if you could stay in this hall, and not wander around the rest of the facility for the time being. Now, I'm sure all that'll change, it's just he doesn't trust you kids to stay out of trouble here. There's some terrible, terrible things he doesn't want you to get into. So, to solve all of that, he thought you should stay in this hall. I'm not locking the door, so in case an emergency arises, you're not trapped in"—he looked directly at Kefka—"but I want your word, all of you, that you won't abuse the privileges I'm giving you by wandering outside this hall. If you do, I'll have no choice but to lock the door. Emergencies or not. Please don't make me do this, I seriously don't want to, and I really want to trust you kids."

They all nodded in agreement.

"But, why, Cid? Why are we being locked up?" Kefka asked him.

"No, no. Not locked up, just being kept outta trouble. That's all. Don't think of it as locked up," Cid said quickly, almost defensively. "Now, I've really got to run. I'll come back sometime later this afternoon. Please, no getting into mischief, okay? I'll see ya later!"

Cid scurried to pick up the remnants of their breakfast off the table and departed, leaving them all to sit and stew over what he'd said. Leo and Kefka exchanged glances, communicating with their expressions as they almost always did in the company of others. Finally Kefka spoke.

"I don't like this."

"Pessimist," Leo hissed. "You're not even giving this a chance."

"This is freaking me out, okay? I don't like being told to stay in one place without knowing why!"

"Kefka," Leo said warningly. "Cid _told _us why: the emperor doesn't want us snooping about. _That's it_. Stop reading into things that don't exist."

"There's more to it than that. There must be," Kefka muttered under his breath.

Leo stepped forward and got right in his face, to utter softly without the girls overhearing, "Look, I'm a little leery as well. But please, don't start having a fit about this and freaking out in front of _them_, alright? We need to keep a straight face, for them. In a few days, if we're still not allowed out of this hall, we'll ask Cid for more reasons and then start investigating into it."

Kefka muttered an agreement, reluctantly. He liked Leo very much; he was like a brother to him. But sometimes he didn't agree with Leo's approach to things.

"Three days," Kefka said lowly. "That's as long as I'll keep quiet. After that, we're getting out of here. One way or another. I hate confined spaces!"

Leo sighed, shaking his head and turning away from Kefka.

"And you call this a 'confined space'? Kefka, this place is huge."

"True," Kefka admitted, "but not where we're at in it."

Leo gave up. He went after the girls, that had gone back to their room. Kefka slowly trailing behind him.

"Should we have a more in-depth look around?" Kefka asked him.

"But of course," Leo said. "Let's get the girls to come with us. Maybe we can engage them in some kind of game or something."

"Yeah, Cid had a ton of them on the shelf back there."

After a moment, Terra came out of her room. She smiled at the sight of Leo.

"Hey, Terra," Leo greeted warmly. "Let's go see what we can find to do in the playroom. It's been a long time since we've all played something together."

Terra's eyes, which had been glum, brightened instantly.

"Okay." She beamed, then she ran back in to go get Celes.

_Things'll be just fine_, Leo told himself. _It all seem a little suspicious, but we'll get along great here. Kefka's just being as paranoid and pessimistic as always. Soon, we'll be out of here and our lives we'll get back to normal, he'll see. He worried himself for nothing._


	5. The Pleads of a Professor

**Chapter 5: The Pleads of a Professor**

The children got along quite well—for being locked up in one lone hall, that is. They each found something that they loved doing and divulged into it. Kefka loved reading, and instantly got entranced by the library the moment he'd stepped foot in there. It partly annoyed Leo that he could never get his best friend's attention outside of his current novel, but he eventually accepted it, figuring this too shall pass. He'd get sick of it eventually. Although Leo wasn't much of a reader, he had to admit the library was rather impressive. Once Leo had managed to get his schoolwork, he began studying there alongside Kefka. Perhaps the two didn't spend their time interacting, but at least they were together. That is, until Kefka neglected his studies, then freaked out when he realized that they were due the next week. He would then sit down with his worksheets, textbook, and pencil, griping at how much work he had to do. Leo hated bailing him out, as he felt that this should teach him for shirking school. However, Kefka had always been a straight A student, and Leo hated for his good grade record to go down the drain from just one missed assignment. So, he generally helped him begrudgingly.

They had a different teacher, who had sent schoolwork and assignments for them along with Cid to give to the boys. Cid had told them that he didn't want them to miss out on their education while they're here.

"I'm not too worried about it," Kefka had informed Cid. "I can handle a weeks worth of vacation and manage to keep up."

Cid wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. "Either way, Kefka. It's important that you keep up with your education. So I'll be bringing your schoolwork up here, and if you need any help you can either reference with the library or I'm available to help. If it's science, well… I could probably get you a pretty good grade." Cid chuckled at his own joke, to which no one else seemed to find amusing.

"No, I doubt I'll need very much help at science. I love science," Kefka replied.

"Do you?" asked Cid, mildly interested.

"Oh, yes. I find it quite fascinating. I can sit down with a science book and be perfectly content for hours." Kefka went on a bit to describe exactly what kind of science he liked, and as Cid listened to him, he knew the kid really knew what he was talking about. Much to his surprise.

"You ain't kidding that you like science, are you?"

Kefka shrugged, a bit annoyed that Cid hadn't been taking him seriously. No one did, and it irritated him to no end.

"Well, one of these days I'm going to get you down in my lab. Perhaps you can help me organize it. It's in such a disarray. Bottles need relabeled and put on shelves. Oh, I could really use a hand."

That got Kefka smiling. "I'd love to, Professor."

Of course, this wasn't something Cid prioritized. Days turned into weeks, which turned into months. Soon three months went by, and the children were demanding more answers. They didn't understand why they needed to be confined, nor why they couldn't be escorted outside or school, or _anywhere. _The girls were young and easily distracted, but Kefka and Leo weren't as easily diverted from their pressing questions. And as more time went by, they wondered about the true nature of their confinement, and if they would ever be let out at all. They felt there was a greater reason for their confinement rather than mere fear that they'd get into stuff. Cid seemed to have answers, yet he'd always seem nervous whenever the topic of their imprisonment was broached. They tried their best not to think about it. After all, what else was there to do?

The girls spent many hours in the playroom each day, not really understanding how long they had been there, nor how long they might have to stay. They enjoyed each other's company, as well as the large space to play in and new things to do. Leo was very grateful for all of Cid's preparations, for it helped to kill time greatly. On occasion, Terra would wander off to find Kefka and ask him to read to her.

"Ah, but Terra, you know how to read," he insisted.

"I know," Terra admitted shyly. "But it's not the same as when you read to me. It's not as much fun."

Kefka, naturally, was flattered by this. Many hours they had spent together this way, laughing and talking as she sat on his lap in the armchair in front of the fireplace, pouring their imaginations on a book with detailed, colorful artwork and an elaborate story. Sometimes they read books with no pictures at all, or ones with tiny illustrations that left much work for the imagination. Terra was smart and mature for her age, so she easily enjoyed the same books that Kefka did. One of her long-time favorites was Alice in Wonderland, which, once found, had been read again and again. Celes loved the story, too. One night Leo found all three of them sitting in the armchair reading it, a sight which brought a smile to his lips. It was rare that Kefka and Celes ever got along, let alone doing something together. He thought perhaps them being cooped up together for a while wasn't such a bad idea after all. Perhaps it would strengthen some bonds that had been needing some mending.

* * *

One evening, Cid was in his lab, pouring over some notes when the emperor himself entered. He was quite taken aback by his Majesty's unannounced visit.

"Why, Emperor Gestahl! What an unexpected surprise! Please, come in and sit down! How are you?" Cid greeted warmly.

"Doing just fine, Professor. And yourself?" He took a seat in front of the professor.

"Great, great. Best I've been in a long while."

Gestahl wondered at Cid's enthusiasm. "Oh? And may I ask why more greater than usual?"

"Ah, but the kids of course! It's so nice having the youngin's here, let me tell you! I've never been in this close of contact with kids before, you see. Well, of course, except when I was one! But it's such a great feeling. You're really missing out Your Majesty. You sure you don't want to take them?"

"No, thank you. You know very well why I'm having them stay here," Gestahl answered lowly.

Cid's smile faded, nodding solemnly before turning away.

"Also, I've heard they're troublemakers."

This choked a retort from the scientist. "Troublemakers! Them? No way! They're the sweetest kids I've ever seen!"

"The _only_ kids you've ever seen," The Emperor corrected. "Remember?"

Cid ignored him, proceeding to say, "No, honestly, I couldn't ask for a better group. They fully take care of themselves. I always find their hall clean, and they get along with each other so well. I've noticed that each of the older ones have specifically taken to one of the younger ones, and visa versa. It's so sweet! Leo's real close to Celes, and—"

"Yes, yes. I know. Kefka is fond of Terra, and if you tried to throw the opposite kids together, they would start a bonfire right in the middle of the room. I've seen it before, Cid." The emperor turned a critical eye onto the trembling scientist. "Like I said, these children have already been in my care once, I know them very well."

"Oh." Cid sounded rather disappointed.

"So, how is it coming along with them? Are they adjusting well?"

"Actually, now that you mention it," Cid began, tipping a bottle over in his distraction. He scrambled immediately to pick it up. "I honestly don't think we should keep them in a hall like this. It's not healthy for kids to be trapped in one place all the time. They need fresh air, sunshine, companionship… Things they just can't get in here."

Gestahl looked thoughtful for a moment. Almost contemplative.

"I understand your reasoning, but you know I cannot let them go. I need them loyal, determined, and fixated to becoming my first Magitek knights. I will not receive the same results from any children. They must be prepared in the correct way. And besides, I do not want the rumor spreading that I've got four children lined up to be my first Magitek knights, people will think it's abusive to rear children."

"Could we... Could we choose other kids then, Your Majesty? These ones are so sweet, and they've been through so much. Surely—" Cid got cut off by the emperor's scowl.

"Tell me then, what children will be suitable for this experiment? Some children, somewhere, will have to go through with this, Professor. Is there any other children that will fair better? Or will the next group that I bring be just as heart-wrenching for you to retain? I've waited long enough, looked hard enough, and I'm telling you: this will be the group. These will be my knights I've waited so long for. If it bothers you so much, I can make other staying arrangements for them in the meantime...until they are ready."

"No, no," Cid said hastily, wringing his hands. "They're just fine here, Your Majesty. I just… Well, they all ask me how much longer will they have to be there, and when can they go outside. I start to feel really guilty by lying to them, telling them it will all happen very soon." A frown creased Cid's forehead, contemplating before adding, "Oh yeah, that reminds me. Celes has been asking me an awful lot about Lady Rochelle. Do you think it would be at all possible for her to come and see the kids, just for one afternoon?"

The Emperor sighed. Cid could tell he was making the man lose his patience. Gestahl ran a hand through his mostly-white beard, causing Cid to add hastily, "I know it'd mean a lot to them. And perhaps she can reassure them that everything's alright."

He took in a breath, waiting for the Emperor's response, which took a while to receive.

"I'm afraid Lady Rochelle has expired."

"What?!" Cid exclaimed.

"She was executed three weeks ago for treachery. She attempted to free the children against our orders. We found four ship tickets to South Figaro, where I'm sure she intended on sending them. This was unacceptable, and we knew that if we let her survive, this would only happen again and again. She loved those kids very much, and I'm sure she would've risked anything for their freedom." The emperor looked down dismally. "As you can see, she already had."

Cid swallowed hard. What a small thing to execute the poor woman for. And, quite unfortunately, something that Cid himself had half-considered at some point—not that he actually would've gone through with it. His better senses would've probably taken over in time.

"Surely you can see why we did it," the emperor continued on. "It was regrettable, but necessary. Now then, when do you think you'll be able to have the first Magitek infusion process complete?"

Cid snapped out of his daze, meeting the emperor's sharp grey eyes. "I'm still working steadily on it. I think I've got it pretty much figured out, but won't know for sure until I test it out on a human. I hate for a human to be the guinea pig, but I'd be afraid to infuse an animal. I mean, do we seriously want to have a dog roaming about with the ability to annihilate an entire city? It'd be too dangerous."

"Yes, I quite agree. We can't trust any ordinary human either. When will you be ready to test it out on one of the children?"

Cid swallowed hard, cold sweat gleaming on his forehead. "Are you really sure that we must test it out on one of them? We could do a high-ranking officer, or general, or something."

"I'm not risking either of my two generals," Gestahl spat. "I want you to test it on one of the children. When can you do this?"

"But—Emperor Gestahl, forgive me for questioning you, how do you know they'll be loyal?" Cid asked him.

"Because, they won't know anything else." Gestahl glared at the poor scientist. "Now tell me, how soon can you infuse one of them?"

"A few years," replied Cid. "I need to run at least a few more years research on it before the final production stage. It's far from completion right now, but I do believe I have the major concept figured out."

"A few years..." The emperor sat back in his chair, his expression dismayed. "I've already waited a few years, and am growing tired of waiting. Can't you try it sooner?"

Cid shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't rush science. If all goes as planned, though, the first try should be successful."

"Let us hope," the emperor uttered under his breath. "Which one will you infuse first with an Esper?"

Cid scratched his chin thoughtfully. He really hadn't given it much thought before. He couldn't do Celes; he just couldn't test it on her. She was such a sweet little girl, not to mention she adored him. Every visit she'd give him a big bear hug then swing on his arm, looking up at him with her sweet, wide blue eyes… No, he just couldn't bear to see her infused and something go wrong. Granted, he wanted to see none of them hurt, but especially not Celes. Terra, for obvious reasons, could not be infused. She didn't need to be. It would have to be one of the boys… But he wasn't sure which one; only time would tell.

"I think either Leo or Kefka. Not sure which would take better to the infusion. I'll run some blood tests and perhaps better determine it that way."

The Emperor nodded, accepting this answer. "Unless, of course," the elder man said after a moment's silence, "one of them _chose_ to be infused."

Cid blinked. "Chose?"

A dangerous smirk curved the emperor's lips. "You've said yourself that Kefka is rather fond of Terra. And we all know what her destiny is."

Cid nodded solemnly.

"What if he were given a little...ah, incentive to be infused? If he did it for her sake?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand, Your Highness—"

Gestahl shook his head. "Never mind, you'll see later on. I'll have to wait and see too, to see if he really cares enough for her to do it."

"You mean, trick him into taking her place as a Magitek knight? But Emperor Gestahl, she'll have to be one, regardless, correct?"

"I'm tired of your questions!" Gestahl snapped impatiently. "You're close, but as I said, let's wait and see how this all plays out. I do believe, in ten years time, I'll have a wonderful mini army of Magitek knights at my disposal. You'd best get busy on your research. I want this operation to be underway."

"Yes, of course, Your Majesty."

Gestahl left hastily the lab, his rich long robes sweeping the tiled floor. Cid broke one of his bottles in frustration. Sometimes he didn't understand what made him loyal to the emperor. After all, the man was selfish and downright evil to the core. His intents were not well. Not for the world, and especially not for these children. They were merely being used for Gestahl's own personal gain. It wouldn't matter to him if one of them should be lost in the crude experiments. Cid hated it, yet he felt helpless. There was nothing he could do to stop it. He also feared the emperor was enjoying toying with the children's emotions a bit too much. It wasn't _really _necessary that they be locked away and kept hidden from the world. What was most disturbing was that the emperor seemed to take _pleasure_ in this, something which made Cid's blood boil.

"No, this is all wrong. No, no no…"

But alas, all Cid could do was walk into their room, with the cheery façade that everything was fine, all would be well, they would be let out soon, and talk of their next school assignment.


	6. The First Encounter

**Chapter Six:**

"Terra – "

"Terra!"

"Terra, please. Listen to us!"

The young girl slowly opened her eyes, feeling rather confused. She thought she had heard someone calling her name. But no, perhaps it was just a dream. She looked over at Celes who lay beside her, fast asleep, then carefully looked around the room. Just as she was convinced it was all a dream and was laying her head back to rest, she heard the voice again, seeming much louder and clearer now that she was awake.

"Terra, please help us!"

"We need you!"

Gasping, she sat bolt upright, looking about the room frantically for a source to the voices. But alas, no one could be seen.

"Celes?" Terra whispered, jerking Celes's arm to wake her.

"Hmm?" She replied sleepily, without opening her eyes.

"Did you hear that?" Terra asked her, not moving her eyes from the bedroom door.

No answer came from Celes, and as Terra looked down upon her face, sleep had reclaimed her once more. Terra clutched the blankets in fear, pulling them up to her chin as she sat there in bed, half-wondering if she only imagined the voices as she had the first time.

Again, the voice spoke, this time a soft, kind female one in a tone almost melodious.

"Terra, don't be afraid. We need you. The time for our freedom has come at last. Follow our voices. You will find us. Come, we mean no harm."

"Terra, please!"

"You are our only hope…"

"The world's only hope."

"You can do this. Free us from our long term slumber so that we may save the world of _your _people. Both of our worlds."

Terra sat frozen, her eyes the size of sand dollars. Fear paralyzed her every muscle. Who were the owners of these voices? And how could she, a five year old, help free them? She had always been taught not to talk to strangers, but this was different, and Terra wasn't altogether sure if that rule applied to this sort of thing. The voices sounded sincere and desperate. Perhaps they truly meant her no harm? Still, she found the whole thing bewildering and terrifying. This wasn't the first night in the research facility that Terra heard voices. Late in the night she could've sworn she heard whisperings, and especially the first night that they had arrived, when she heard the whispers coming from that restricted room behind the chained doors… No, she rationalized that the voices must've indeed been real, only why they wanted her was the question. She only wished someone else could've heard them as well.

Against all of her teachings and not talking to strangers, Terra climbed out of bed, slipped on her slippers and slowly turned the knob of her bedroom door.

All was silent in the hall outside her room. It was well past two in the morning, and she could not even hear Leo and Kefka talking well into the night as she sometimes would on her way to the bathroom. Then again, her 'middle of the night' was probably only eleven or twelve, not quite as late as it was then.

She walked a little ways down the hall, but no voice could be heard. Then suddenly the female voice spoke.

"Terra, I will sing an ancient lullaby passed down by our people. Follow my voice. Follow my song - "

She then heard the voice break into song. A lovely song which captivated her heart and soul, making her suddenly very sleepy. Remembering what she was doing, she moved further down the hall, only to find that the voice led to the other side of the door. Outside of their chamber.

The children were forbidden to leave their chamber, and the door leading outside it was to be locked at all times. Cid, however, felt it unsafe for the kids to be locked up in a desolated tower at all times, and left it unlocked in case of an emergency. Cid explicitly stated to all of them to not open that door for any reason, unless one of them were in a dire emergency, and the benefit would outweigh the risk of them leaving the room. Kefka, of course, abused this rule. He had found that at night all of the employees and security guards had all gone home in the east tower that they resided in, so as long as he didn't set off the security system, he found it perfectly safe to wander around and explore the tower. There was even one exit leading to the outdoors, but Kefka didn't try going out that one yet, as it was protected by the security system and an alarm would sound when opened. He was in the process of trying to find the code though, and once he did, he planned on taking Terra into town one night and buying her ice cream. Of course no one but Terra knew this. Leo would be livid if he knew that Kefka would even attempt such a thing so risky. That was what made him Kefka Palazzo, the part that Terra probably loved most.

Terra stared at the door a long moment, letting the song intoxicate her. Cid would be very angry if she went out to follow these voices, and the chances of him finding out were somewhat large. Although Terra was Kefka's apprentice when it came to sneaking around, she was only five, and not that good. No, she couldn't do it alone. She needed help.

Terra thought Kefka would probably help her. He loved sneaking around and exploring, and especially if Terra asked him to. She would also feel so much better if she didn't go alone.

She tiptoed down the carpeted hall and slowly turned the doorknob to the boys' room. From in there the song was quite muffled, and Terra hadn't quite realized how quiet their voices originally were when she first awoke.

She crept through the room silently, treading carefully along the floor lest she make a floorboard creak and awaken Leo. If Leo woke up their plans of an adventure were all over. There was no way in hell that he'd ever approve.

Terra went over to Kefka and shook his shoulder.

"Kefka?" She whispered.

He slowly stirred awake, half-propping himself up on one elbow as he brushed golden strands of hair from his face with his other hand.

"Terra? What are you doing out of bed? It's late." He glanced over at the clock on the wall to be certain, although in the darkness he couldn't make out the time.

"I'm sorry I woke you up. But I need your help." Terra said quickly, her voice rising from a whisper as she rattled off her story. "I heard these voices, and they woke me up. I tried to ask Celes if she heard them, but she was fast asleep."

Kefka frowned concernedly.

"Terra, what did I tell you about these voices? Just ignore them, and don't tell anyone else about them. It's just your imagination talking to you, but I'm scared people will think you're going crazy."

"No, no! I know it's not my imagination!" Terra insisted. "They're real people! They want me to come free them. They're singing to me now, and want me to follow their voice to where they are."

"Singing?"

"Yes, it's beautiful. Do you hear it?" She asked eagerly.

They both remained there silently for a few moments. Terra could tell by his expression that he didn't hear a sound.

"D-d'you think maybe I am going crazy?" Terra asked finally.

Kefka turned to look at her.

"No, Terra. I don't." He whispered. "I think you're a very gifted child, with many talents and great intelligence. I just wish I knew why you're hearing things that other people can't."

"They-they want me to find them, and free them. Maybe if we follow, we can find out where the voices are coming from?" Terra suggested.

Kefka gave this quite a bit of thought.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe we'll find the answer to our questions." He kicked the covers off and reached for his robe. "Besides, it couldn't hurt… Except, Terra, where are these voices leading you?"

Terra pointed out of the room.

"Outside the chamber." She answered.

Kefka's eyes moved slowly from the door, then to the sleeping Leo.

"We mustn't wake him, then." Kefka said softly. "Did you have a lantern with you?"

"I don't know how to light them." Terra replied.

Kefka got a lantern from his bedside table, struck a match, lit it, and carefully the two tiptoed out of the room.

Terra looked around. The hall didn't appear as eerie with the light of the lantern illuminating around them and with Kefka beside her. They went down the hall to the door leading out of their chamber.

"Now, slowly." Kefka said quietly.

Carefully, he turned the doorknob as it creaked in need of being oiled. The two found themselves looking upon a dark, massive corridor.

This hall was particularly more eerie than theirs. It was massive, and although Terra and Kefka had ventured out into it numerous times, it was still quite unfamiliar.

"Lead us." Kefka whispered, lantern held high, illuminating a large area around them.

Terra was unsure of which way the song was really coming from, as it seemed to surround her in all directions. She was only sure that it was beyond their hall, but unsure of where beyond that.

"I-I don't know which way." She said fearfully.

Kefka took her small trembling hand in his.

"Trust your instincts. You'll find which way."

Terra looked around the dark corridor critically, then shut her eyes, only focusing on the entrancing lullaby emerging from deep within the facility. As she focused on the foreign words, and let the melodious voice drown her, she felt she could almost feel it tugging her in a certain direction.

She began to follow the warm, pulling sensation, her eyes now open in order to see her way around. She led Kefka down the winding staircase, down a few more spiraling halls, and to the entrance to the central part of the research facility.

"In here?" Kefka asked her.

Terra nodded, eyes fixated straight ahead, as though she could see through the door and beyond.

Kefka hesitated.

"I've never been outside this tower before." He admitted. "I have no idea what lies beyond here, or if there's any security that could find us."

"Then, what do we do?" She asked him, the lullaby urging her onward.

Kefka looked from Terra, then to the door.

"Let's go."

Slowly, and with a trembling hand, he opened the door to the central part of the research facility.

The room they entered was enormous, and had the same affect that it played on them the first time they had seen it. It was both amazing and intimidating all at once.

"Now which way?" He asked her.

Terra took on the lead once more, leading him down three staircases and to a set of doors at the backend of the facility. It was the same set of chained doors that they had passed the night of their arrival, the ones which they had been especially forbade to ever enter, the ones where she first began to hear the whisperings, the beginning of all the voices.

"Why is it coming from in here?" Terra asked anxiously.

"I'll bet Cid's got something in there that he's trying to hide from us." Kefka said, realization slowly beginning to hit him. "Now we'll know what it us, once and for all."

"But how do we get in? It's locked."

"Lemme see it."

Kefka went over to the lock and withdrew a bobby pin from his pocket. He then crouched down and began working out the lock.

Terra smiled as she watched him.

"Did you ever steal things?"

"What?" Kefka asked, surprised that his little friend would even ask him such a thing. "No, but I picked my way out of groundings, or punishments. Everyone in the orphanage knew how to pick locks. It's good to know."

"Oh," Terra said disappointedly. "I just thought you'd make a great thief."

He paused, realizing that Terra probably hadn't meant it sarcastically, but really had thought he'd make a cool thief.

"Thanks." He said, unlatching the lock from the heavy metal door handle, which he had just managed to unlock, and uncoiling the door from its thick chains. He then grabbed the round, smooth metal handle and began to pull, but the door did not swing open willingly. He then threw his whole body weight away from the door, but it still wouldn't move.

"Here." Terra offered, walking up and grasping the handle with her small hands.

They tugged and pulled. Slowly the door began to move. The room beyond was well lit, with several colors of light illuminating it, and it wasn't until Terra entered and got a good look around that she realized that it wasn't your average light – but was being illuminated by creatures within tall glass spheres.

Kefka looked around in awe. He had never seen anything like these creatures that lay before his eyes. They were magnificent. There were at least eight within the room. Some were more animalistic, while others looked quite human. Kefka lay his hand on one of the glass spheres.

"'They're – amazing." Kefka breathed, carefully studying the amber colored female demon that lay before him, curled in a deep slumber.

"This must be what they meant about needing awakened." Terra said quietly. "Kefka, do you believe in magic?"

Kefka didn't respond right away, as he let his fingers slide down the smooth surface of the glass.

"I've always said I believed in fairy tales." He admitted. "As ridiculous as that may be."

"Do you – do you think they're magic?"

"Quite possibly."

"How do you think we're supposed to wake them up?"

Kefka turned a startled gaze over towards the young girl with soft sea-foam green curls.

"Wake them? I don't think we should wake them. They look perfectly peaceful sleeping to me. I'd hate to see what they'd be like if we wake them up."

"But Kefka -"

"What?"

"They said they needed me to wake them up. Something like I was there only hope."

Kefka turned to face the amber creature that his hand rested against.

"I'd imagine it's probably not every day people stumble through here."

"What do you think they are?" Terra asked him.

"I don't know."

"Why do you think they're locked up?"

"I haven't the slightest idea."

"Then, why do you think I'm the only one able to hear them?" She asked finally.

Kefka's eyebrows furrowed as he studied the creature carefully, or better yet, thinking up his response. He honestly didn't know why only Terra could hear them, but he found it all a bit odd.

"I'm guessing many people can." Kefka reassured her, and thought it was quite a possibility. "See? I told you that you're gifted."

"Terra –"

Terra tensed, hearing the singing die away and now the voice spoke to her once more.

"Terra, you've made it. We cannot see you, but can sense your presence. To awaken us, all you have to do is stroke the glass. Your powers will bring us back to our senses. Please do this, Terra. You are in danger, let us help you."

"Terra, what's wrong?" Kefka asked concernedly, making his way over to her and placing a hand on her shoulder.

She shook violently, her eyes wide.

"They spoke to me again." She breathed. "They told me how to release them."

"How?" Kefka asked.

"By rubbing the glass." Terra replied, looking from one creature to the next in fear.

Kefka shook his head. "But I rubbed the glass and nothing happened. It didn't work. She's just as asleep as she's always been, I guess."

"I- I think I need to do it. They said me, and so far I'm the only one that's been able to help them."

"I don't know if you should do this. They might not be very nice. Besides, I think Cid might find out, and he'll probably be mad that one: we were out late at night, two: we shouldn't have been out to begin with, and three: we listened to these creatures that we didn't know and we let them out."

Terra honestly didn't think it was such a good idea to let them out either. If they were magic, they could be dangerous. Not to mention Cid would definitely find out that they were gone, and maybe he'd know who had done it. He would most definitely be mad, really mad. But at the same time, the voices sounded so desperate and so sincere, she highly doubted that they would do any harm. She had heard that the empire had done a lot of terrible, mean things. Locking up these poor creatures was probably no exception. She felt in her heart that she should help them, and that they were speaking the truth.

Terra slowly went over to a blue female one and gazed upon it. The creature was both terrifying, and beautiful all at once. Its size was nowhere near that of an ordinary woman, but had to be at least 2-3 feet taller. She began to stretch a hand forth to stroke the glass. Kefka drew in a breath.

"I really wish you wouldn't do that." He said through gritted teeth. "I want to know more about them too, but not enough to awaken them. They look sort of – well, dangerous."

After contemplating what Kefka had said, Terra abruptly jerked her hand forward, her two fingers gliding across the smooth, cold glass. Almost instantly, the creature began to react. Her glow faded, as she slowly began to uncurl from her fetal position. Terra took a step back, eyes protruding from their sockets, as she watched the creature stretch out to its full height and opened its eyes. She blinked twice, then smiled at Terra.

**Author's Note: **Thank you so much for all of the kind reviews I received! I really appreciated it! It was nice to know what everyone thought so far. The visit with the whole esper thing I had originally intended on it being in one chapter, but because the length would be far too long I decided to break it up into two. I hope to get the second part to this up quickly.

Of course, reviews are always welcome, and greatly appreciated!


	7. Rage of the Espers

**Chapter Seven:**

"Thank you," The creature said kindly. "Now stand back."

Terra immediately did so, backing up into Kefka. He put his hands on her shoulders, watching the creature fearfully.

With a swift movement of her arm, the glass sphere that had contained her shattered, then she slowly lowered herself to the floor.

The demon woman was quite beautiful indeed. She was tall, sleek and even with her massive height, she retained her elegance. She looked relatively human, save for her unearthly skin and hair. Her hair reminded Terra of strands of crushed ice. All crushed and melted together, falling way down her back. Her face looked hard, but her eyes held a tender kindness.

With meaningful strides, the ice demon went over to another cage, resting her hand on it as another creature awakened. This one appeared to be half-man and half-something else, perhaps its nearest resemblance would be goat. She then moved over to the amber demon that Kefka had shown so much interest for.

Stretching and shaking their limbs, the two broke their restraints and moved towards the ice demon woman, who had taken a place in the center of the room.

"Terra, I would like to express my gratitude." The half-man, half-something else said.

The amber demon shook back her long locks of hair.

"You've freed us at last. Maduin always told us that one day you'd prove yourself useful." She said in a somewhat snobbish tone.

The ice woman gave the arrogant amber one a frown, but said nothing more to her.

"Who – who -" Terra stuttered, attempting to ask them who they were, but kept faltering. Her eyes darted between the three creatures.

The ice woman smiled.

"Who are we? Oh yes, of course. Foolish me, assuming that you'd know everything about us – "

"We're Espers," The amber demon cut her off. "Magical creatures far extinct from this world. _Your _world."

"Ephira, please remember that Terra is apart of our world as well." The half man spoke up.

"No, she isn't!" The amber woman spat, reeling around to face the man. "She'll never be one of us! She'll always be apart of _them_! Loyal to them! We should never trust her -"  
"Ephira –" The ice woman said in a warning tone.

"In fact, I say we dispose of her now, before she can do us harm. She's served her purpose. Humans are worthless, pointless beings. The entire race should die."

Terra turned around, wrapping her arms tightly around Kefka, wondering what she had done by releasing them as she watched the three creatures bicker.

"No, you know we cannot do that." The ice woman retorted. "You know Maduin will have our heads."

Ephira, the amber Esper scowled.

"I'd like to see Maduin try." She challenged.

"So, the legends are true. You all did exist in our world." Kefka said, drawing the Epser's attention towards him. Up until that point, they hadn't even noticed that he was there.

"Well, look. If it isn't a little human boy." Ephira hissed. "What do you want?"

Kefka watched her, a look of deep respect for the woman shown in his eyes.

"Nothing. I just think you're so – magnificent. I never knew such a thing as you really existed."

"Don't think you can butter me up into letting you walk out of here alive, boy!" She snapped, taking a few steps over towards the two frightened children.

Kefka swallowed nervously, but tried his best to keep his wits about him. The woman finally stood only a foot away from them, and although Kefka wasn't a particularly short child, he only came up barely past her waist.

"I don't believe in the need for humans to walk this planet. I don't believe there is a need for them anywhere in the world. All these brainless creations do is shed blood and cause mischief in the land. I want no more of it. Unless your race submits to us as their supreme rulers, I don't see it fit for them to survive."

"That's a little thick-headed, don't you think?" Kefka blurted out.

He immediately regretted those words the moment he had spoken them, as Ephira whipped out a hand and struck him hard across the face, sending him backwards to the floor.

"Don't ever speak that way to me again, human!" Ephira screeched, as the ice woman sparked her with a tinge of ice.

"No more out of you, or I'll have to bind you up just as you were held moments ago. Apparently three years of imprisonment was just not long enough for you."

Ephira muttered something under her breath, but made no further argument.

"I'm sorry," The ice woman said apologetically towards Terra.

Terra fearfully looked up at her, then ran towards Kefka, throwing her arms around him.

"Now what are we gonna do!" She asked frantically. "Oh Kefka, I'm scared! Why did I let them out?"

"Good question." Kefka breathed, eyes darting back and forth between the espers and the door. "We just need to get outta here."

"But what will they do?"

"I really don't know, and at this point I really don't care. But I think if we can get back to our tower, we'll be okay."

"But –how?"

"Just follow my lead."

"Huh?"

Kefka began to walk right up to the ice demon.

"It's okay, I'm used to being thrown around from these 'humans'. Like you said it, they're not very nice."

The amber esper bit her lip in rage, but held her tongue.

"Sorry that we outstayed our welcome. You obviously won't be needing Terra anymore, so I think we'll just be going back to bed now."

The epsers stood there frozen, dumbfounded by Kefka's words. Since they didn't protest, and seemed to be accepting his lousy excuse for escaping, he continued.

"It's getting late, and the scientist of this whole lab'll come to check on us, notice we're not there, and come looking for us. So as not to get you all caught, we'll just go back to bed now."

They all remained standing in their positions. Not one of them spoke a word. Kefka, amazed by his luck, grabbed Terra's hand and began making his way towards the door. Just as they began to reach the handle and as he was thinking this was all way too easy, and wondered why humans had such a hard time dealing with espers before during the War of the Magi 1000 years ago, a thick wall of ice began to form around the door. They turned around to find the ice woman, shaking her head as she took a few steps towards them.

"I am afraid," She began slowly. "That Ephira did have a few valid points. We cannot let the two of you leave."

"What!" Terra exclaimed.

"We cannot risk you reporting to Professor Cid that we have been released from the bind that we were in. We need time to come up with a strategy, and a safe escape plan. We not only face dangers here in this research facility, but outside of it as well. All humans, I'm afraid, thirst for our power, and we are endangered by all of them. Terra, you will be fine. You have a place here with us, and I will see to it that no harm comes to you." She turned her gaze towards Kefka. "But I'm afraid, as Ephira was stating, we will have to do away with you."

"B-but, please." Terra began. "Why are you letting me stay with you, but not Kefka? Please. He's my best friend in the entire world, and is like an older brother to me. Please, you can't kill him!"

The ice woman considered her for a moment, then sighed.

"I am sorry." She said quietly. "But I will do what I must. I will ensure you that I will take his life painlessly."

"No, really. I swear I'll do whatever you ask!" Kefka said frantically, seeing no way of escape out of this one. He'd managed to bypass many things in his life. There were many more incidents in which he should've been caught doing things, but got away with it. Groundings he escaped, beatings he avoided, but this was finally going to do him in. His only major regret was not having a weapon or the ability to fight back.

"It is regrettable, to be certain." The ice woman said, taking a few steps closer to them. "I hate killing people, particularly children. If the circumstances were different, I wouldn't. I would let you live. But no, things are too dangerous for us now."

Kefka was thinking fast, his life was dangling before him on a fine thread. Epsers were believed to have unbelievable powers, and he was afraid to see what this one could do to him if given the chance. He knew he couldn't do anything to stop them. His only hope lied with Cid somehow coming to look for them and rescue them. He wasn't assured that they would really take care of Terra, either. He thought perhaps they still wanted to use her, so of course they'd lie to her.

To buy time, and stir up a bit of a racket, Kefka threw an object off of a nearby table into one of the glass spheres that still contained an esper. The glass shattered loudly, and the contents of it spewed out all onto the floor, but to Kefka's relief the esper still remained in it's deep slumber, undisturbed by its shelter being trashed.

It caught the espers' attention long enough for Kefka to make a dash around the room, looking for another possible exit into the main hall.

"No! Stop him before he manages to make an escape!" Ephira screamed.

"He can't. That's the only door, and I've sealed it with ice…" The ice woman said.

"Just kill him! Or I'll do it myself!"

"Now, now. There's no need to do this so violently."

"Then do it before he gets away! It doesn't look like that ice is stopping him any!"

The espers looked over towards the door. Kefka had brought a sledge hammer to it, and was hacking away at the ice, as slowly, bit by bit, it began to crack open.

Ephira couldn't resist, with a snap of her fingers the hammer began to melt, causing Kefka to drop it instantly and cry out in pain.

"Now, to end this!" Ephira said, raising her palms into the air, eyes fixated on Kefka.

Terra looked over in fear from the other side of the room, feeling helpless as she watched the situation. She reached out a hand.

"Noooooooo!" She screamed as an orange glow began to emit from Ephira's palms.

"STOP THIS!" Another stronger, deeper voice said from behind her.

Terra was suddenly seized from behind around the middle, as her captor bent over and picked something up.

"Kefka, back up!" The man bellowed.

Terra looked up at her captor, and had never been more relieved to see him in her life. It was Cid. He had come from a back door that the ice woman had said didn't exist.

"Quickly! We must exterminate them all! Even the esper girl!" Ephira exclaimed, recharging up for another spell.

But before she could emit it, Cid threw something into the center of the room, causing a bright light to surround them. Terra squinted in the brightness, but still couldn't make out a thing. Slowly it dimmed down, and as it did so she could see the espers frozen stiff, as if stopped by time itself. Kefka was against the frozen door, panting and trembling. Although his expression did not hold terror, it was quite apparent that he had been shaken up severely.

Cid sat Terra down, then made his way to the espers in the center of the room and began injecting them with a bluish fluid.

"Cid, I –" Kefka began weakly, but got cut off by Cid.

"Not another word from you." He said crossly. "You two have no idea what you've just done. You nearly got us all killed. Especially yourselves. These aren't merciful creatures, as you've just witnessed. They won't let even a child survive that is in their way."

"I'm sorry." Terra said in barely more than a whisper. "Don't blame Kefka, it was all my fault."

Cid stood up and looked at her, wiping sweat from his brow.

"What do you mean this is your fault, sweetheart?"

"I mean," she went on quietly. "I was the one that awakened them. They told me to, and I listened to them. They said I was in great danger, or something like that. So I put my hand on the glass, and it worked. They did wake up. Kefka told me not to, but I went ahead and did it anyway."

"I could've stopped you." Kefka told her. "But I was too curious to see what they were and what they wanted. It was my fault too, don't blame it all on yourself, Terra."

Cid sighed, then made his way back to Terra and gave her a hug.

"No, no kids. It was _my _fault. I should've been straight with y'all to begin with on what I had kept in here. It was my fault I got you guys all curious that you had to check it out on your own." Cid looked at them thoughtfully a moment. "But do you understand now why I don't want you guys wandering? There's dangers here! You've gotta believe me when I tell you not to do things!"

"We understand, sir." Kefka said grimly.

"We'll never go wandering again!" Terra promised.

Cid studied their solemn faces a moment, and grinned.

"It's okay. Curiosity gets the better of all of us at some point in time, we've just got to try our bests to fight it, that's all."

"B-but it wasn't only curiosity. I heard them talking to me in bed. They woke me up and said they needed me to free them."

Cid froze, then grabbed up Terra's hand.

"C'mon, lets start heading back to your room. Don't worry, they can't harm you no more."

Together, the three of them left the room silently and made their way back to the darkened east tower. It wasn't anywhere near as eerie now as it had been on their way there. After what they had been through and very nearing an early death, nothing seemed frightening anymore.

After a drastic silence, Terra spoke up in her quiet voice.

"Cid, can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing, sweetie."

"Why were they going to spare me and not Kefka? Why am I the only one that was able to awaken them? And why –" A chill ran down her spine as she recalled that they referred to her as 'esper girl' in the end.

Cid's expression darkened as his brows furrowed into a frown. Apparently he wasn't expecting a question this deep.

"Terra," He began slowly. "lets suffice it to say that you're unique. You have an ability that the rest of us don't have, an ability that many crave and desire. So much so as to they'd kill for it."

Terra looked thoughtful.

"So I really _am_ different from everyone else." She said.

"No, I didn't say that." Cid said quickly. "I only said you're gifted."

"See? Like I've always told you that you are." Kefka said grinning at her, trying to wipe the fear from her face. He hoped that whatever Cid had to say wouldn't be something that would traumatize her and break her heart. He didn't know why the espers had such a connection with her either, but he didn't want her to find out if there was something particularly _different_ about her that made her able to communicate with them through their sleep, or awaken them from a state that no other person could – Difference in her really bothered her, and Kefka hated to see her in pain. He wanted to kill all the children she had played with in daycare that had made fun of her hair, and even those that pointed out that they'd never seen a girl with green hair before. Not that it was really their fault. Who could blame a five year old for asking such a question?

"One day, I promise you. You'll understand the full extent of your abilities, but now ain't the time to get into any of that yet. You're far too young to comprehend any of it, but when you get older you'll learn to appreciate what you have, trust me." Cid said.

"But I want to know now." Terra urged. "I want to know why I'm different from everyone else. I want to know what's wrong with me."

"Nothing's wrong with you." Cid said with a chuckle. "You're a perfectly normal, healthy little girl. It's nothing to worry about."

"So, Cid. Can I ask you –" Kefka began.

"Oh God, now what? No, Kefka, no. You do not have any special abilities that I am aware of… Except for possibly being the most daring, disobedient child I've ever met."

Kefka laughed softly.

"No, that's not what I was going to say. But actually… What the heck are espers doing _here_ locked up in the magitek research facility? I thought they were all extinct."

"No, they never went extinct. But after the War of the Magi, they fled from this world with that fear that they'd become that way if they lingered here. They created their own world within a sealed gate, so that no humans may enter it."

"So, you're saying." Kefka said slowly. "There's more of them out there, in another world."

"Yes," Cid replied. "There are many more out there. These are only a few that the Emperor brought back on an excavation to their world."

Kefka shot a glance over at Cid.

"The Emperor went into their world?" He repeated. "But I thought you just said that no humans could enter into it."

"Ah, so you do pay attention." Cid turned to smile at him. "Yes, I did say that. And yes, that is true. No humans could. Until the seal was broken one day and a girl stumbled upon their world…" Cid's words trailed off, deep in thought a moment until Kefka broke in.

"But why did the Emperor bring back espers?"

"Oh, Kefka. Isn't it obvious? To do research on of course! To see how they work, what they're like, and if there is any way for us to use _their_ power for ourselves. Ever wondered why this place is called the _Magitek Research Facility_? I've done magitek research for a long, long time, even without the espers here in my hands to examine. I was thrilled when I was brought some, then I could find definite answers to my questions rather than continue to go on assumptions and probabilities. Last year I came out with the Magitek armor, a suit of armor which has the ability of the use of magical powers extracted from espers themselves."

"What happened to the espers that you extracted the magic from?" Terra asked.

"They died, they couldn't live in such a weakened state as they were left in. It's unfortunate, of course. But there are always sacrifices to be made in experiments. Almost always at any rate."

"Sorry, Cid. But, won't the magic within a suit, well – run out eventually?" Kefka asked him.

"Good question. Yes, eventually, the magic within a suit will run out, as the magical properties of it can't truly penetrate metal, and continue to grow and manifest itself. That's why we're trying to come up with a more permanent, thought out process to make Magitek last forever."

"Have you come up with anything?" Terra asked.

Cid opened his mouth, almost about to pour out what he'd been working on then caught himself. After a moment he responded rather differently than he was initially intending.

"No, not yet. But I'm working on it though. Spending a great deal of time doing so in fact."

"It's almost cruel," Kefka said bitterly. "To use other beings for our own gain. No wonder those espers wanted to exterminate all humans in sight. They think we're all barbaric."

"Hey, now! None of that talk, please! I know to a kid it sounds awful, and cruel. But it's not like that see…" Cid's words trailed off, struggling to think of how _not_ to explain using another creature's abilities at the expense of their lives for a human's experiments as cruel.

At last, they reached their hall, and Kefka and Terra had never been happier to see it. Cid stopped in the doorway and said lowly.

"Here you guys are. Now take care, won't ya? Don't wander around no more, it's too dangerous." He turned to Terra. "And don't worry yourself about hearing them talking to you. They must know of your gift, and are wanting to use it to their advantage. Please, whatever you're told, whatever they might say, don't listen to them. Pay them no heed, and everything will be fine. I think they'll be too weakened now to try and communicate with you, but in case they do… Remember what I told you."

"Okay, Cid." Terra said, offering him a small smile.

"Thank you," Kefka said finally. "You really saved our lives."

"Yes," Cid said thoughtfully. "And apart of me thinks I almost shouldn't have just to teach you a lesson! Ah well, that's life I guess. Just no more, Kefka. Please? I don't know if my heart can take it anymore."

Kefka chuckled, then nodded.

"Alright, you guys. Get to bed while it's still dark out, since I don't think it's going to be much longer. Sleep tight, try to have pleasant dreams. I'll see you guys in the morning."

"Okay, good night." Terra said.

"Good night." Cid replied, then slowly shut the door to their hall, and half contemplated locking it.

Kefka and Terra weren't going to attempt anything so risky like that again anytime soon… But they had to admit, or at least Kefka did – _that it was all rather exciting._

**Author's Note: **

I struggled trying to get this chapter right! The action within the esper room was quite a challenge to write. Anyone notice that the amber esper, Ephira's motives sound a bit familiar? :D

I've said it many times over, and am worried everyone's getting well sick of me saying it by now, but I really mean it – Thank you all so much for the reviews! They've really helped so much, including inspiring me to continue writing this story. I'm considering extending this prequel into later events into the game as well, and have some thoughts for a possible sequel to Final Fantasy VI… I might branch that off into another fanfic though, as this one might get terribly long.

Thanks so much for reading! Hope everyone's still enjoying the show!

And of course, I love reviews ;)


	8. Circus Peril

**Chapter Eight:**

Kefka hadn't initially planned on Leo exactly finding out about their little 'adventure' into the research facility that night, but of course, the first thing next morning he wakes up to find Terra telling Leo all about it. Of course, as Kefka had suspected – Leo was not impressed.

"When," Leo said threateningly, making his way towards his dear friend, which at the moment he wanted to strangle. "When will it be, I wonder, when you'll start taking people seriously and obey? The moment after you die, or before?"

Kefka laughed.

"By the time the sky turns red I suppose." He said sarcastically.

Again, Leo was not impressed.

Things had been quiet after that. Kefka had even stopped wandering about at night, even in their tower. Of course he intended on going again, but wanted to lay low at least for awhile, the memory of those espers trying to kill him just nights ago still gave him the creeps. Terra also had no longer been hearing the espers at night. Perhaps as Cid had predicted, they were now too weak to try and communicate with her. Terra wasn't going to make the mistake of listening to them next time, if she did hear them again. She had definitely learned her lesson about talking to strangers.

By then it had been eleven months since their arrival in the Magitek Research Facility, and all of them were feeling a bit cooped up. The question they all asked themselves, and Cid, was how much longer, and why really the need for this sort of treatment? Kefka thought perhaps they were being punished, Leo really didn't know. He wished he had, or at least could guess. The only thing he could come up with was either the Emperor had forgotten about them there by now, or they're being kept for some imperial reason.

"Well, I already figured _that _out already." Kefka said irritably. "But it sure must take an ignorant person to forget that four innocent children are sitting locked up in a tower, isolated from other human contact in the outside world."

"Oh please," Leo said rolling his eyes. "You are so dramatic all the time. I can never have a reasonable conversation with you."

Kefka jumped up from his spot on the floor.

"Reasonable? I'm sorry Leo, but do you still expect me to be reasonable? I've been reasonable, and let me tell you, I'm pretty damn sick of it!"

"Watch your language." Leo said warningly, glancing over at Celes sitting in the corner, but she was oblivious to them as she remained coloring, humming to herself.

"It can get a lot worse." Kefka informed him.

"Then don't let it."

Kefka stuck his tongue out at him, then turned his back and walked away. Leo shrugged. Why did the kid have to be so unreasonable? It was amazing he didn't go mental being stuck around him all the time.

"Hey, why don't we do something productive for once?" Leo asked him, his back still turned to him.

"Like what?" Kefka muttered, not amused by this suggestion.

"Like, lets all have fun together, what do you say? It's been awhile since we've all gotten up and did something together."

"Last week," Kefka said impatiently. "we did a camp out together in the playroom, and we put up the glow-in-the-dark stars we found on the wall to pretend it was a night sky and that we were really going camping, remember?"

"Honestly, I'm a bit sick of camping." Leo said. "I want to do something _new. _Refreshing."

Kefka stood there, thoughtful a moment. Leo supposed this meant he had gotten over whatever it was that he felt towards him a moment ago.

"We could have some sort of contest." Celes suggested, overhearing them.

"No, there's nothing fair that we can all do." Leo replied. "We've already tried that."

Terra came wandering in the room with her notebook that she had been doodling in, and her teddy bear that she had clutched in her other arm.

"What are you doing?" She asked them.

"Thinking of what we can do together to all have fun." Leo replied.

"We could put on a play." Terra suggested.

"Nah, Leo has terrible acting." Kefka replied, shooting a smirk over Leo's way. He then snapped his fingers. "Oh, I know! What about a circus?"

"Huh?"

"You know, we could put on our own circus." Kefka said excitedly. "We can do some acts, dress up. It would be great!"

"To you maybe." Leo said doubtfully. "But I don't think the girls are going to go for that…"

"Yeah! We want to see Kefka dress up!" Celes cheered. "He can be the girl on the tightrope, carrying an umbrella and wearing a tutu and a hair bow."

Kefka glared at her.

"You almost make this not seem fun anymore, you know that?" He said to her, making her go into a fit of giggles.

"It _would _be fun, though." Terra admitted. "I can juggle a little."

"And you and I can do simultaneous cartwheels." Kefka added to Leo.

"I could do the act of the girl on the tightrope wearing a tutu." Celes said with a sigh.

"Yeah! Come on Leo! It'll be fun! That's what you wanted, isn't it?" Kefka nudged.

Leo sighed, then smiled.

"Sure, why not! Let the circus begin!"

"No, wait!" Celes shrieked. "We're not even ready yet! We don't have costumes, or stuff up, or anything! We need to find a tightrope."

"I'll go look for some balls." Terra offered.

"Great, then lets all get ready." Leo announced.

They all went off in opposite directions, looking for supplies they would need for their costumes and acts. Leo wasn't aiming to do anything fancy for a costume, but he assumed that, knowing Kefka, he'd probably go all out. Leo had done his best to dress colorful, in a pair of bright blue overalls and a green dress shirt that was made of a silk-like material. He also put on his dress shoes and styled his hair normally. It was hard to decipher whether he was dressing up for a circus, or wearing ill-tasted clothing to a party. When he came out Terra was already ready, wearing an adorable tiger costume. She was cutting strips of black construction paper, saying she wanted to make whiskers to put on.

"I could paint you whiskers." Leo offered. "They'd be easier to keep on and look more real."

Her face brightened.

"Okay!" She exclaimed, happy with the offer.

Leo found a paintbrush and with washable paint, began painting stripes and a few freckles on her cheeks and across her nose. Once he was done he admired his work, he thought Terra looked pretty cute.

Celes then came in, dressed like a little ballerina pixie in a bright purple leotard and tutu with matching ballerina slippers that were unlaced. Her hair was down and she carried a purple ribbon.

"I sort of need your help." She explained, as she went over to him and showed him her slippers. He laced them for her, then drew her hair back into a soft, elegant bun.

"Now for some props." Leo said, looking around the room for things they could use for their circus acts.

"I found some balls." Terra replied, holding up two of the six colorful balls that looked as though they were specifically made for juggling.

"I'll get an audience!" Celes announced, digging through the toy-box for any stuffed animal and doll she could find.

Leo found some hula-hoops, that whoever chose to be the ringmaster – who he assumed would be himself, could allow Terra to jump through them. She'd get a kick out of that. He also found some string to make a tightrope, but didn't think any of them were truly talented enough to walk a real tightrope, so he thought he ought to try to come up with something to improvise.

After gathering a few more things and setting them up just so, Kefka had still not shown up.

"Where _is he_?" Leo asked himself. He knew the kid would really give it his best, but seriously! What could possibly be taking him this long just to get ready?

"I'm going to go check on Kefka." Leo announced. "I'm wondering if maybe he got lost somewhere out in the hall whilst looking for supplies for his costume."

He hoped to God not.

He went down their hall, and found that Kefka was in the bathroom _still_ with the door shut.

"Come on out!" Leo shouted, pounding on the door. "Come on, you can't look that awful! Unless, of course you took Celes' advice and dressed up in a leotard and tutu then…"

Upon this, Kefka threw the door open, and Leo quietly yelped and jumped back. Kefka laughed.

"No, of course not, silly! Do you really think I'm _that_ mental? I decided to dress up as a clown instead. Like it?" Kefka asked him.

"Like it? I think you're nuts. What is that smeared all over your face? Will that stuff wash off?"

"Of course, it's a facial kind of paint called 'make-up'." He put a lot of emphasis on the word 'make-up', and since Leo still looked blank, he showed him a make-up kit irritably. "You know, the stuff that clowns actually _use_ for stuff like this, not the girly kind."

"That still wouldn't have surprised me." Leo took a second look at him, then laughed. "Yeah, that's totally _you,_ Kefka. I like it."

Kefka smiled, rather then taking offense to what Leo said.

"Thanks, it was fun to do." He inspected himself in the mirror one last time.

You had to admit he did a wonderful job at imitating a clown. His hair was done up in a ponytail, as usual. His clothing looked as if it might've been an actual clown costume, and Leo wasn't about to go off asking him where he got it. It had multiple colors and striped patterns to it. To give it a personal touch, he added his own red cloak, which Leo recognized as the one he wore on occasion. Then, for a finishing touch, he smeared white cream all over his face and did some dramatic coloring to accent his eyes, and wore red lipstick.

"You know, you should go into doing make-up on people for operas and stuff." Leo suggested.

Kefka gave him a dark look.

"No, really, I'm serious! You did a good job."

"Thanks. Now, lets get this show on the road! I'm anxious to wash this stuff off my face, it's starting to itch."

Together they returned to the playroom, and Celes had nearly the same reaction as Leo initially did upon seeing Kefka. Terra only stared.

"What? Don't you like it?" He asked the two of them in disbelief. "I'm a _clown_, don't you get it? For our circus. Sheesh, from the way everybody's acting you'd think I dressed up as a mass murderer or something."

Terra giggled quietly.

"I think it's funny." She said, getting up off the floor, a set of balls in her hands.

Kefka then noticed the whisker face that Leo had given her.

"You look adorable too! Who decorated your face?"

"Leo did."

"Ah, so Leo." Kefka turned a wry grin over to his friend. "And you made fun of _me_ being able to pull off doing make up."

Leo pretended to not know what he was talking about.

They then started their performances, for a smaller crowd than they would've liked, but they were thankful for at least having any crowd at all. Celes lined up all of the stuffed animals and dolls she could find in a row against the opposite wall of where they were performing. She wished that she could've found chairs for all of them, but Leo pointed out that at least this way they couldn't fall off if they got too excited or anything.

Leo started off as the ring master, having Terra jump through hoops, then he and Kefka did a few sets of simultaneous cartwheels, and Leo attempted some back flips, but eventually came up with the conclusion that he couldn't figure it out. Whoever wasn't performing at that very minute would sit back with the audience until their turn was up.

They had gone through quite a few acts, and Leo had to admit they weren't all doing bad until he then heard Celes bang down her bag of popcorn and began shouting.

"It's no fair, everyone's had a turn but me! What am I going to do about walking on the tightrope?" Celes pouted.

Kefka and Leo exchanged looks.

"What's with the tightrope talk?" He asked.

Leo sighed.

"She wanted the part that she assigned to you."

"Oh good," Kefka said, turning to face her. "because I don't have good balance."

"Truth is, Celes." Leo said reluctantly, walking over to the blonde girl. "I don't think I can make a safe enough tightrope for you to walk across."

Celes' face began to turn red, as she started crying and shaking her popcorn container, sending popcorn flying in all directions.

"But how come everyone else gets to do _exactly _what they want and I don't get to do anything?" She moaned.

"Because everyone else wants to do something REASONABLE!" Kefka shouted back at her, startling her for a moment. She then burst out screaming and crying louder.

"Ah, great. Now you've done it, thanks Kefka." Leo said sarcastically.

"Okay, you little brat." Kefka spat, walking towards her until Leo grabbed up his arm.

"Kefka," Leo said warningly.

"Oh shut it!" He responded, trying to release his arm.

"Hey," Terra said quietly. "Celes, would you walk on a balance beam instead if they put it way up high?"

Kefka and Leo looked at each other, they never thought of trying to reason something else with her.

Celes sniffled, then nodded and pointed at Kefka. "But he can't set it up!"

Kefka shot her a dirty look.

"He's just going to help me," Leo reassured. "Okay?"

Celes shrugged, then calmly sat back down with her stuffed creatures. Kefka glared at her.

"Why," He muttered under his breath. "_Why _does SHE get whatever she wants, when she wants it –"

"Just cool it." Leo said exhaustedly. "You really need to have more patience with her. She's just going through a phase."

"Yeah, a phase that's her entire life."

Leo sighed, droning Kefka's complaining out of his mind as he began looking around for something to use as a balance beam for Celes. After much searching, they found some old wooden floorboards that could be used. They put one across two chairs, and presented it to her.

"Voila, you're very own balance beam!" Leo said to her.

Celes considered it a moment, then started screaming.

"What now!" Kefka asked furiously.

"It's not high enough!" Celes cried.

"Not… HIGH ENOUGH! What are you talking about?"

"Celes, honey." Leo said rationally. "This is as good as it's going to get –"

"NOOOOOOO! It's not good enough, anyone could walk across a board like that! It needs to be higher! HIGHER!"

Leo began looking up and around. Kefka was really starting to lose his patience with Celes, as he had very little for her to begin with. It took all of the self-control he could muster to avoid strangling her. He looked over at the various shelves in the room. They were about eight feet off the ground, and there would be plenty of room for her to walk across as the ceiling came at about 16 feet from the floor.

"Leo, we could set it up there." Kefka suggested.

"What?" Leo said distractedly, glancing up at where Kefka was pointing. "Oh no, that's way too high. She could really get hurt if she fell."

"Oh come on, she's not going to fall. And just in case lets stand on either side of the balance beam so that we can catch her, okay? Come on, she's never going to shut up and let us play if we don't do it."

Leo sighed. He knew Kefka was right. Celes was extremely stubborn. She would just keep on getting louder and louder if they didn't cater to her request.

"Okay, so what's your plan on getting up there?" Leo asked him.

"A ladder, I guess. The only thing we can use to get up there."

They carefully made their way up there and across the wide shelf. They decided that they needed to support it on each end of the floorboard so it didn't slip as she tried to walk across it, so Kefka held onto one end of the floorboard firmly as Leo made his way to the other side of it, to the next shelf. Terra watched anxiously from below. Celes didn't even look over at all.

"You got itover there?" Leo reassured, as he began positioning the floorboard just right and placing a heavy canister on the other end.

"Yeah, I think so." Kefka said, letting go of his side to walk across and help Leo out. "Hey, do you really have that centered –"

Just as he began to ask this, he bumped into Leo gently, causing him to lose his balance and fall off the balance beam. Leo grabbed onto Kefka, but Kefka wasn't stable enough on the balance beam either, so he pulled him right along with him as they fell eight feet to the ground. Down with a big thud.

Terra gasped, and ran across the room over to their heap.

"Leo! Kefka! Are you alright?" She exclaimed.

Celes got up too, running over to see what had happened.

Kefka fell on top of Leo sort of on his side awkwardly, while Leo fell flat on his stomach, using his arm to try and break his fall.

"I'm fine. Just'll be sore for the next week. Leo? You?" Kefka said, slowly sitting up.

Leo only moaned.

"Huh? Leo…?"

Kefka grabbed Leo by his shoulders and pulled him upward, causing Leo to only cry out louder.

"Wh-what happened? Oh God, Leo I'm so sorry I pushed you. Are you alright?" Kefka asked frantically.

Leo's face was very pale and twisted with agony. Kefka wasn't altogether sure what he had done to him, and was terrified that perhaps his friend was dying.

"I'm okay, it's just…My arm…" Leo gasped, pulling his left arm to him with his right.

Kefka went to examine it. It was bent rather awkwardly and very swollen. Kefka bit his lip.

"I-I wonder if maybe you broke it." He said weakly.

"Really? You _wonder_?" Leo snapped sarcastically, he then drew in a breath painfully.

Kefka let go of Leo's shoulders gently, swearing to himself.

"I'm so sorry Leo. I didn't mean to push you."

"I know you didn't. Although I've no idea what you were thinking in that thick skull of yours. Why did you think you could come over to my side while I was on the beam at the same time and not fall?"

"I don't know. But I'm very sorry."

Celes threw her arms around Leo's neck and began sobbing.

"I'm sorry too, Leo. It was all my fault. If I hadn't been whining about my balance beam being higher, you wouldn't of broken your arm."

"That's right, it's all your fault, you little creep." Kefka said quietly.

"No, don't" Leo said tiredly. "Kefka, why don't you do what you do best and go find Cid for me, will ya?"

"He _did _say we could leave if it was an emergency." Terra said slowly.

"Is this enough of one? He said it had to be a pretty bad one." Kefka said irritably, annoyed by the stupid rules. "Okay, wait here and I'll go get him. Oh, I really am sorry Leo!"

"Just go!"

Terra grabbed Kefka's hand as he turned to leave the room and go find Cid. He looked down at the little tiger.

"What's wrong? He'll be fine, don't worry." Kefka reassured her.

Terra bit her lip, and nodded. He smiled, and rubbed a finger down her cheek as he frequently did.

"I'll be right back with Cid, okay? Take care of Leo while I'm gone."

Terra smiled, then went back over to him as Kefka dashed out of their hall, wondering where on earth he could possibly find Cid at.

**Author's Note: **

One of the very last slice of life chapters that will be written for the kids sadly! There will be moments, but none as innocent or as carefree as this one (well, of course for the exception of Leo breaking his arm.). After another chapter or so, the story begins to get much darker, and the children get torn apart from one another. If not physically, emotionally.

Hope you're still enjoying the story! As always, I'd love to hear what you think. If you could leave me a review, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks for reading!


	9. Brothers, Forever

**Chapter Nine:**

Cid was rather taken aback when Kefka came bursting into his office, dressed in clown clothes with make-up all over his face. He tried to calm him down to even ask what was going on, as Kefka was too frazzled to even make sense. Cid eventually gave up on trying to listen to his jumbled nonsense and followed him up to their hall.

"Okay, so who's got the problem?" Cid asked as he entered.

The girls backed up, revealing Leo sitting against the wall cradling his left arm. Cid frowned and stepped forward to examine it.

"I- I think it's broken." Leo said in barely more than a whisper, trying not to cry out in pain as Cid grabbed his wrist forward to get a better look.

It didn't take Cid longer than a minute to nod his approval of the diagnostic.

"Yep, definitely broken. Not something that's life threatening or anything. Easily mend-able without surgery. Let's head downstairs and I'll get that reset and casted for you." He then turned to look around at the others. "Now, then. Mind if I ask _how_ he broke it, exactly?"

Kefka shuffled his feet agitatedly. Celes began pointing at Kefka frantically.

"HE DID IT!" She screeched. "He shoved Leo off the balance beam!"

"Well, hello. I didn't _shove him_, you little, devious, hateful –" Kefka began, and was going to go on much farther if Cid hadn't shouted over them to break it up.

"Alright, none of that please. Kefka, I know you didn't do this deliberately, I think." He looked at Leo a moment, then turned to Kefka again. "Can you tell me please what happened?"

"We were playing circus," Kefka began.

"Well, I can see that." Cid said sarcastically, looking around at the ballerina, tiger and clown.

"And this one," Kefka pointed a critical finger at Celes. "Wanted a balance beam. Not only did she want one, but wanted one _high. _So, Leo and I tried to be nice – well, no actually to be entirely truthful, we just wanted to shut her up, so we decided to put her balance beam up higher."

"So they fell." Terra finished for him.

He turned a grateful glance over at Terra.

"Yes, we fell. Thank you Terra!"

Cid didn't look convinced.

"Sounds too easy to be true." He said. "But never mind, it doesn't matter right now. I just need to take Leo down and get his arm set. Don't worry, I'll bring him back in an hour or so. But while he's gone, lets not brake any more arms or bones, please. Celes, honey, that balance beam is _way too high_ up for a little girl your size, or even bigger boys these sizes. So, lets set the beam down across those chairs there, okay?"

Celes beamed up at him.

"Okay, Cid. That'll be just fine. I'm sorry I gave Leo so much trouble earlier." She said in her best-little-girl-in-the-world voice.

Cid smiled down at her and patted her head.

"It's okay, sweetie. You didn't know this would happen. It's not your fault."

Kefka turned around and bit his lip in rage, watching Celes put on such an innocent show and be treated like an angel.

"Is Leo going to be okay?" She asked him concernedly.

"Of course I will. It's just a little brake. Cid's just going to put a cast on it then I'll be all better, you'll see!" Leo said, giving her a reassuring smile.

They played quietly for the rest of the afternoon. Kefka was muttering to himself, something about always being the unlucky one, and burrowed himself into his favorite spot in the library by the window in a book. Celes and Terra remained in the playroom, coloring and doing crafts, as they worried about Leo when suddenly Terra asked her best friend a surprising question.

"What do you miss most?" She said vaguely as she fixated her gaze out the window. "From the outside world?"

Celes frowned.

"Most?" She said. "That's really hard, I miss everything. I think companionship for me, really. How about you, Terra?"

"The sun," Terra said quickly, as though she had thought this up long ago. "The grass. Seeing the rain fall, and the wind blow. I miss rolling in the grass and watching flowers bloom. I miss it all. So much. And sometimes I wonder whether I'll ever see any of that again one day."

Celes considered her friend a moment, surprised by how deep Terra's feelings for these things were. Celes had always accepted that these things were there, but never really thought about them. She never considered 'nature' or the world that revolved around them as a gift. It was just something nice that was always around.

She gently took Terra's hand, causing Terra to snap her gaze away from the window and meet the eyes of the blonde sitting in front of her. Celes smiled kindly.

"You will, Terra." She reassured her. "If that's what you really want."

Terra smiled slightly, but her eyes did not light up they way that they normally did.

Late that evening, the three sat down to a quiet dinner, which was even quieter than usual now that Leo wasn't around. There was an awkward silence amongst them, as though they had all wanted to say something, but couldn't bring themselves to it. Finally, Kefka broke up the silence.

"He's fine." He reassured the girls. "All he had was a broken arm, and Cid said himself that it was easily mended."

"But, what if he was wrong? What if he does need surgery?" Celes asked him.

Kefka shook his head.

"No, breaks like that never require surgery."

"How do you know?"

"Just – can you just accept that I know?"

"No."

Kefka threw his hands up in the air. He gave up trying to be civil with her.

Terra picked at her food quietly. It was not only Leo's absence that was bothering her, but something that had been eating at her ever since the night they had wandered into the depths of the research facility and found those espers.

"_They had called me an 'Esper girl'."_ She thought to herself.

She greatly wondered what they had meant. I mean, why would they call her such a thing if she wasn't one of them? The thought that scared her the most was… _Could she be one of them?_

"Hey, Terra." A friendly voice protruding into her thoughts said.

She gasped, sitting up straight, coming back into the present. Kefka was giving her a funny look.

"Hey, Terra. What's up? You look like you're lost in space." He asked her.

Terra shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm just – tired, that's all."

"Yeah," Kefka said slowly, considering his plate distastefully. "It has been a really long day."

"I wish Leo'd come back." Celes said fretfully.

Kefka looked over at her.

"Me too, Celes." He said lowly. "Me too…"

It was later that night, Kefka lay in his room alone. This somewhat bothered him. He had never slept alone. Except for, of course, back when they were still living in the imperial palace, but then had been different. Back then they had normal lives, with Rochelle looking after them, and all four of them shared a hall with guards patrolling it day and night. This place was eerie, and in Kefka's opinion, worse than haunted. He never liked to call himself afraid of things, but he definitely felt uncomfortable and vulnerable being in there all alone. For one pathetic, split moment he half considered asking the girls if he could sleep on their floor. Then he shook himself violently.

"Oh, Kefka, don't be stupid." He told himself. "You can take care of yourself without Leo. It's just a little extra quiet, that's all. Don't go bugging the girls, you'll never hear the end of it."

So he didn't, but was scared half-witless when Leo came back in the night and poked him awake. Kefka yelped loudly and nearly fell off the side of the bed. Leo was only laughing and laughing.

"Hey, now. That's not funny!" Kefka scolded him, swatting at him with his pillow.

"Sorry," Leo said, still chucking. "But I couldn't help it!"

Kefka looked away.

"Well, at least _you're _fine. Everyone was starting to worry about you, you know."

"What do you mean?" Leo asked, walking over to the dresser drawers to pull out his pajamas. "I told everyone I would be back."

"Well, when you don't come back by evening when it really should've only taken an hour everyone starts to get concerned that something went wrong." Kefka said impatiently. "Can't you accept for once that we just _cared _a little, instead of telling me how we should have felt? It gets tiring when you correct me all of the time."

Leo looked over at him.

"Do you really feel like I correct you all the time?"

"Yes, I do." He replied shortly.

Leo looked down at the pajamas in his hand a moment, half-wondering how on earth he'd manage to get these on with his arm, and half-considering what Kefka was saying.

"Well, I definitely don't look down on you. Sometimes my teasing may seem harsh, and I'm sorry about that. But I don't think you're bad, Kefka. Not at all."

"Really?" Kefka asked quietly.

"Sure. You're silly sometimes, so I get silly back. It's no big deal. I think you misunderstand me a lot."

"You're just saying that to save your own skin."

"No, really. I do mean it." Leo went over and sat beside him. "Kefka, you and I are like brothers. You really mean a lot to me, and I always like to look out for you. I just feel older brotherly I suppose. And maybe I do pick on your faults too much. I'm sorry if I do that. It's just, I'm so frustrated with being here too and I don't know what to do."

Kefka looked up at Leo's face, surprised to hear him admit to disliking being cooped up there as well. Usually whenever Kefka would mention it, Leo would get rather cross and snappy about it, so he learned to refrain from speaking of it. Perhaps him breaking his arm managed to snap some sense into him.

"What do you mean 'what to do'?" Kefka asked in a whisper.

Leo shook his head.

"I don't know, sometimes I feel like I must trust Cid, and the Empire. I mean, they've raised us up this far, haven't they? Surely they have a reason for keeping us here, not just to do us in."

"That's what you keep telling yourself." Kefka added for him.

"I guess," Leo said in defeat. "And sometimes, sometimes well – I think maybe you're right, that they really do intend on keeping us here forever unless we do something about it. But God knows what. I just don't know."

"We could leave, you know." Kefka said. "No one would find us doing it, I know my way around this place like the back of my hand."

Leo scoffed. "Yeah, I'll bet you do."

"No really, we could get out of here! We'd be fine. I know we would! Well, at least better off out there than in here, don't you think?"

"Kefka –" Leo said with a sigh, but Kefka cut in before he could continue.

"You and I could get jobs, the girls would go to school. Someone will be sympathetic enough will give us a low rent, we'd manage! Come on, it'll just take the two of us put together and things will work out fine. Please."

Leo only considered him for about half a minute before he shook his head.

"I love the fact that you're being optimistic for once, but no. It won't work."

"No, Leo! Only if believe it won't! I'm serious, I know we'd be okay!" Kefka said desperately.

"Sure, we'd maybe be 'okay', but together? Or would we get separated? Come now, think this through a minute. Would anyone in their right minds actually _allow _us to raise two six year old girls?"

Kefka was silent a moment. He hadn't thought of that.

"And set that aside a moment, would they even allow us to live on our own? And jobs? Who'd give us jobs? Okay, I _might _manage something small, since I'm turning thirteen next month. But you – you're only eleven. You're just as bad off as the girls off. Likely the law enforcements will find us, put you three in an orphanage, and I don't know about me. Probably the same."

Kefka frowned into the darkness. Once again, Leo was right. These were things he hadn't given much thought, he could only see the positive outcome of their escape. He certainly never wanted to go back to an orphanage again. Never. And although there may be better ones out there than the one he was placed in, he didn't want to risk that for Terra and Celes.

"Then," Kefka said quietly. "What do we do?"

"That's what I mean, I don't know what to do." Leo said with a sigh. "But, at least we all have each other, right?"

Kefka didn't answer him right away. He wasn't sure that he altogether agreed.

"Leo, can I ask –"

Leo looked over at him.

"Well, do you – do you remember when we first met?"

Leo smiled to himself.

"Oh yes, how can I forget? Back when you were only like what, six I think?"

"Seven," Kefka corrected him. "But, do you remember the promise that we made each other?"

"That we'd be close forever? Like brothers?" Leo asked him.

Kefka clapped his hands together.

"That's the one! Then you _do_ remember!"

Leo grinned. "Yeah, I remember."

"Do you still mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"That we'll always be close, like brothers? Through it all?"

Leo smiled and nodded, staring into the floor.

"Yes, Kefka. I really still mean it. Do you?"

"Of course!"

"Well, then." Leo said, looking over at his friend. "We'll always be close. Forever."

**Author's Note:**

A rather short chapter. This is just to fill the gap that is going to be placed between chapters eight and ten. I needed to continue the events which had occurred last chapter, yet the story is about to take a drastic turn, so wanted to write this quick chapter to take up where I left off, and to show a bit more into Kefka and Leo's friendship, and how close they once were. I haven't encompassed that as much as I would've liked throughout the beginning of this story, so thought this might help to balance it out more and strike what I'm trying to achieve.

Thank you all so much for all of the wonderful reviews I've received! This has inspired me so much to continue writing. I cannot believe I'm already entering chapter ten and am almost midway through this story! I hope you all will continue to enjoy it, and as always I would love to hear your comments, and if anyone has any suggestions for improvements or if there's something that you would like to see added about one of the characters. Thank you for reading!


	10. Flames of Fear

**Chapter Ten:**

Rain pounded against the window as it poured down from the darkened afternoon sky. It had been raining this way for the past two days, and Terra began to wonder whether it would ever stop.

They had constantly been having electricity blackouts with the strong storms as well. Cid had brought them up an extra supply of candles just for those incidents, which generally speaking lasted for at least an hour each time. This was during one of those blackouts, and so far it had been that way for two hours and twelve minutes. Terra was getting rather sick of it.

The four of them all sat around in the playroom, which happened to be the loudest room during a storm. They had three candles lit in several corners, as they each went about their day as they normally did while waiting for a storm to end.

Celes had been drawing pictures in the corner. She had grown quite an interest in portrait making, so she had been sketching Terra while she sat quietly in a chair reading a book. Terra had picked up Kefka's old beloved hobby of reading. She found it comforting in the same ways that he did – and found it to be one of the best ways to kill time. Although at this point she wasn't sure what the purpose was in killing time anymore, as it seemed to be so excessively available and endless. It was as if time were immortal, and could never be killed.

Leo and Kefka were on the floor playing chess. Leo normally didn't have a great deal of patience for games, but Kefka managed to persuade him that chess wasn't like any old game. But instead was like a battlefield, and having to strategically position your men so as not to lose them. To Leo's own surprise, he enjoyed it, and to Kefka's surprise, Leo was beating him. Not that Kefka was an expert, but it was Leo's first time at ever playing the game – although granted he had watched him and Terra do it enough times to figure it out.

Occasionally Terra would stop reading to glance over at them, both too engrossed in their game to pay any attention to her. After looking at them she sighed, thinking how much the two of them had grown up in the past nearly five years they had been there. If Lady Rochelle had seen them then, she never would've recognized them. They all had changed so much. _All _four of them had. Her and Celes were now ten years old. Reaching teenage-hood and it showed. Terra was tiny and petite still, with not much figure. Celes, however, had been starting to grow more of a figure and fill out in places where Terra had not. She had matured facially as well, and Terra couldn't help but notice she looked very pretty. At times, she felt rather envious of her friend, but it was not as if Celes were bragging about herself. In fact, she hadn't seemed to really notice any changes in her at all. Cid had noticed, and instantly grew fearful about the four of them being locked up together all of the time. He considered separating the boys and girls into different halls but stopped himself, as it seemed entirely unfair to isolate them even more than they already were. He was mostly concerned about Kefka, as he had caught him glancing Celes up and down a few times. Not to mention Kefka was rather unpredictable, and did the strangest things sometimes… But no, for the time being he thought it best if they stay together, but had decided to keep a close eye on things.

Kefka was fifteen and at a very disagreeable age. It was rather unknown whether he'd welcome your company, or scowl at it. He'd had his fair share of being in that hall, and was going stir-crazy in result. Leo often felt sorry for him, yet wanted to strangle him at the same time. He was a bit of work to keep in line, as Leo was constantly struggling to do so. Particularly when Kefka had his heart set on committing suicide, those moments were always fun for Leo to sort through. Sometimes Celes and Terra weren't sure whether Kefka did it thinking he'd actually succeed, or because he knew Leo would get so furious that he'd kill him anyway.

He hadn't changed his ways towards Celes or Terra in the least – or even to Leo for that matter. He and Terra were just as close as they had always been. At times Terra would shy away from being around him as much, only because he made it so much more depressing to be there and she couldn't handle his talk of suicide. During those times she'd politely make up the excuse she needed to go study and hang around Celes. Celes was still like a sister to her, and the two got along just as well – if not better over the years. She still loved Kefka dearly, and worried greatly over him, but she didn't know what she could do to ease his suffering. Leo told Kefka this, but it either didn't seem to matter to him, or he didn't get it.

Leo had kept his head about him while growing up. He pretty much had to. Being two years Kefka's senior, he was the eldest, and they all looked up to him for everything. Support, friendship, compassion, guidance… He had to hold himself together. He was what kept them all going, all still stable. Although he couldn't provide everything for them, it did still help tremendously. Even Kefka admitted bitterly that he didn't know what he'd do without Leo.

"You'd take my place and take care of the girls, that's what." Leo sneered.

"But, no. You don't understand – I could never –" Kefka began to say, but Leo cut him off.

"No, Kefka. You are capable of so much more than you believe you are. You're not as bad as you think, you're just going the wrong direction by thinking so. Sometimes I think you do it just to annoy me."

"You know that's not true, Leo."

Leo sighed and began to walk away from him.

"I hope one day when the time comes you'll make the right decision."

Kefka frowned at Leo's back, musing over what he had just said.

"Hey – what the hell is _that _supposed to mean!"

Cid was concerned for all of their wellbeing. He was about ready to just simply open the door for them and let them get a head start on trying to leave. He figured they'd probably manage _somewhere_ within the vast continent. It would definitely be a struggle for them, but Cid thought at least that way they had perhaps a better chance of survival. He seriously wondered what was to come of them, even after the empire was through with them. He had seriously began to love those kids, despite the way he was supposed to remain distant.

Cid had nearly completed his research on magitek infusions, and was not happy with his results in the least. From what he gathered, the infusion would have the best results in a young child. Of course now the children were all grown up, and while Cid tried to convince the Emperor to let them go and experiment with new children, the Emperor wouldn't have it. He thought too much time and energy had been put into these ones already, and he wanted to finish the work they had begun. Cid reluctantly agreed. Pretty much everything he did for the empire those days was with reluctance. He tried to stall off the infusion for as long as he could, saying certain things weren't ready yet and he had to come up with new formulas. With the Emperor breathing down Cid's neck while he did it though, he knew he didn't have much longer. That soon, one of those children would need to be experimented on, regardless for as much as he hated to do it. He couldn't bear to see it if he brought harm to any of them, and if he lost one of them to it – well, he himself and all the others would never forgive him.

The wind howled louder as more rain came mercilessly pouring down. Kefka finally made his move and sighed.

"I have to admit it, Leo. You are smarter than you look." He told him.

Leo grinned. Once in awhile, he took pleasure in bringing on Kefka's defeat. Without taking a second glance at the board and being only delighted in the fact that next turn, he could capture Kefka's king, and at the moment taking his queen. In Kefka's next turn, he took his bishop and went to Leo's king.

"Check-mate." Kefka declared.

Leo mouth gaped open, looking the board up and down several times, then up towards Kefka, whose sorrowful expression began to crack into a sly grin.

"Ohhhh, you tricked me!" Leo scowled.

"Yes, I did. But don't blame _me._ You were too gullible to take me so seriously. You should've known it was a ruse."

"Sometimes, I really think I oughta…"

"Oh? Do what?"

"Can't say."

"Why? Too afraid?"

"Yeah," Leo said stubbornly. "Of what kind of language the girls would pick up."

Kefka laughed, picking up the chess pieces and carefully putting them back in their wooden box.

"Oh come now, Leo. I've never really heard you swear before. Whatever you've got to say couldn't be _that bad._"

"You're in for a surprise then." Leo said, folding up the board for him bitterly.

Kefka left the rest for Leo as he made his way over to Terra and sat on the arm of her chair.

"So, did you see my spectacular victory?" He asked her.

"Hmm?" Terra mumbled distractedly, as though she weren't really paying attention.

He got the hint, and glanced at the front cover of her book.

"I've never read that one before. Where did you get it?" He asked her.

"Cid gave it to me." She said dazedly, "So, who won the game?"

"I did, silly. Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Oh, sorry. I guess I wasn't paying that much attention."

"It's okay." He studied her a moment, then said. "Would you want to play with me?"

Terra sighed and set her book down.

"To be honest with you, Kefka. I'm really tired of playing chess with you."

He looked slightly hurt, as Terra went on.

"To be entirely honest, I'm really tired of playing anything with anyone."

Celes looked up from her drawing to notice Terra had moved from her position and Kefka now blocked her view.

"Listen, Terra –" Leo began, but Terra cut him off.

"I'm so tired of being here! I want to leave! We've been here far too long, and I hate it! I don't think we're ever leaving here. Ever, ever!" She threw her book down and got out of her chair, tears running down her cheeks as a feeling of anger and pain welled up inside of her.

They all remained silent a moment until Leo spoke up.

"Terra, listen we all are but -"

"No, I won't listen! I'm tired of hearing you justify for them! There's nothing justifiable about this! We have been imprisoned for _five years_, Leo. Five years, and we don't even know why! No one will answer our questions!"

"I know," Kefka said quietly. "Cid is terrible about accusations. He won't refute them, but he changes the subject. Trust me, I've tried it too."

"There is something wrong with me." Terra said finally, tears continuing to run down her pale cheeks. "I'm not normal, and I know it. But Cid won't tell me why! Those espers that I saw four years ago knew it too, but unfortunately I didn't even get the chance to ask them. Sometimes, sometimes I wonder if they'd be kinder to us than all of these people that have us trapped here! Sometimes I wonder if we're all in the same boat, and if I shouldn't just go back in there and try to reason with them so we _all _can get out –"

"No, Terra." Leo said quickly. "Those things are too vicious. Don't risk going back there. Some of them already want you dead, and want all of us dead. It's no use, Terra. They won't help us. All they'll do is hurt us."

"We could try talking to Cid again." Celes suggested. "Or maybe I could. He always seems to listen to me better. Perhaps he feels that he can relate to me?"

"I think he feels like you're his adopted daughter, and therefore feels you a bit worthier than the rest of us." Kefka sneered. Celes looked over at him furiously.

"Well, I'll be damned, _Kefka!_ Like you can say anything at all, like you're any better than the rest of us!" She shouted.

"Oh, actually I can say a lot." Kefka retorted. "At least I don't go running around bragging that Cid likes me more than anyone else and telling everyone that things will be okay because I know things will be okay for me. Because Cid cares about me…"

Celes threw her notebook at him, which missed by feet.

"Ooh, you make me so mad, Kefka Palazzo!" She said fiercely through gritted teeth.

Kefka looked rather amused by her temper.

"You know, you're cute when you're angry." He said, seeing how far he could press her, particularly curious to see if he could get her mad enough to go at him.

"Enough." Leo said warningly. "Come on, you two. Now's not the time for this. Terra's upset, and we need to help _her._"

"Right, right." Kefka muttered, tearing his eyes away from Celes and looking towards where Terra had been sitting. "Terra, I'm sorry. It's just I –"

He stopped, then began looking around the room. One of the candles was missing, and Terra was nowhere to be seen. She had left.

"Oh no," Celes said quietly. "She probably didn't want to hear it."

"Just let her have her space." Leo told them, as Kefka got up to go see if he could help her.

"But what if -" Kefka began.

"Just leave her alone. You don't seem to be able to help her any." Celes said venomously.

Kefka cursed under his breath, picking up the book Terra had been reading and sat in her chair. Apparently attempting to read in the dark.

Terra had left running from the room. Tears protruding from her eyes and pouring down her cheeks. She had come to the conclusion to wait no longer. That in order for anything to ever be done, she must take the initiative. She didn't know where to begin, or how to go about it. She thought perhaps trying to speak with the espers one last time might help. She knew Leo was rather down on them, but thought maybe if they understood what restrictions the four of them had been living under, and how much they had suffered, that perhaps they could relate and possibly help them all escape together. If not, well at the very least she could find out what was wrong with her. Ever since that night she had met the espers face to face, Terra had been more uptight by her differences than ever before. It was something that she had always been sensitive about, but never did it bother her as much until that esper had referred to her as "esper girl". What did that mean? She asked herself this question again and again, constantly searching for an answer. She knew she was different, even Cid himself had admitted that. But how, and why and what did it entail? These were things she wanted answers to, and felt that she deserved them.

She ran down the halls, not giving a care if anyone saw her. "So what if they did?" She thought. "It's not as if they don't _know_ we're here."

She began to think more and more about the imprisonment that they had endured, and wondered why was it really done in the first place. It wasn't necessary. She began to grow furious as she contemplated it, and with each step she took towards the esper room, she felt the anger welling inside her, a strange warmth that felt like a ball of energy waiting to be let out.

As she left the east tower, someone caught her wrist. She whipped around to see who was restraining her to find a young man, looking nearlyas bewildered as she did.

"Uh, sorry ma'am. It's just that – Well, no one has been in that tower for weeks." He said to her.

Terra blinked.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean." Terra said fiercely, in a tone that seemed so much not her own.

"I guess I'm wondering what you were doing in there." He said, still confused by her sudden appearance.

Terra wiped the tears from her eyes furiously.

"My name's Terra Branford, and it just so happens that I _live there!_" She said. "Why, hasn't Professor Cid told you? I was assuming you were one of his lookouts in case one of us left the hall."

The young security guard began to pull a device out of his pocket.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. But that tower has been closed for nearly six weeks now." He said firmly. "No one lives in it. Unless you show me a written permit that you have been granted access to that tower, I'm afraid I'm going to have to take you in."

"No, you can't do that!" She said desperately. "Please don't! They'll just punish us!"

"Us?" The guard asked. "There's someone with you?"

Her heart pounded in her chest, too afraid to answer, lest she give off any other vital information which could get them all in severe trouble. She desperately thought of what to do as the man began to speak through his walkie-talkie. She thought of fleeing, but couldn't as the man still had a tight grasp around her wrist. She felt that anger burning her insides, as though it were demanding to be let out. She even felt the center of her palms grow hot and sweaty. She hated Cid for trapping them there. She hated the entire empire. _She hated them all._

"Listen, Greg? I've got a girl up here that doesn't belong –" He stopped talking suddenly as he drew in a breath and shouted out in sudden agony.

Terra didn't know how it happened, as it had happened so suddenly. As she looked over she nearly cried out as well to see the man was _on fire._ Not just a little, but entirely engrossed in the flames, as it spread quickly over his entire body. Terra fled quickly to the back of the facility, as far away from the man as she could. She stopped upon reaching the esper door, gasping for breath. Her heart pounded in her throat as fear seized her entire body. She didn't know what had just happened, but somehow she felt that those flames had come from her.

**Author's Note:**

This chapter was so difficult to write! I'm also not altogether happy with the result. I spent many evenings thinking to myself that I wanted Terra to find out that she was part esper _before _the game, but struggled to come up with _how._ It needed to be quite on accident, as this fact wasn't exactly what anyone intended on telling her. This was the only thing I could come up with. Please review this chapter as I'm really curious to know what you all think! Thanks in advance ~


	11. Half Truths

**Chapter Eleven:**

Terra silently let herself in the locked up room, trembling all over. She was terrified. She had no idea how that man had caught on fire. It seemed to have come from _her._ Extracted from her anger. But how was that possible? She wanted to forget that man as quickly as she could, and kept telling herself that it wasn't her that killed him, although she had a great suspicion that it had been.

She looked long and hard at the Espers, wondering if what she was about to do was the right thing. Last time she had awakened them things had gotten terribly out of hand. They wanted to kill Kefka, and any human in their path. She didn't want that to happen again. But she thought suppose they didn't understand _who_ they were. Perhaps they didn't know that they were not the same humans that had captured them and held them in this desperate state. Perhaps if she spoke with them one last time, and pleaded with them that they were all on the same side as one, perhaps they could help her.

With a few long steps she made her way to the glass sphere of a different Esper than she had awakened last time. Terra stared at it deeply. Then slowly she raised a hand to stroke the glass once again, when suddenly a voice spoke from the other end of the room.

"At it again, are you?"

She whirled around to find Cid standing at a table, reading through files, with many labeled bottles lying before him. Terra blinked, unable to believe her eyes for a moment. She didn't know how she totally overlooked the man sitting there all this time. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Cid took off his reading glasses and eyed her carefully.

"May I ask _why _you want to awaken them again?" He asked.

Terra studied his face carefully. His voice remained calm and his expression relaxed. He did not smile, but Terra could see a twinkle in his eyes as though he were amused by her appearance. She sank back shyly.

"I'm very sorry, Cid." She said in a small voice. "I- I just am so upset, and I want answers that no one will give me. I thought maybe _they _could help."

Cid sighed.

"Again, I almost brought us to the brink of disaster." He said. "I leave you all in the dark, and it comes back to bite me eventually. In a way, I left you with no choice but to go asking them for help. I was foolish."

Terra couldn't help but stare at the middle-aged man, who was now graying slightly.

"Will you help me then?" She asked.

"If it means you won't go awaken them," Cid said, putting his pen down. "Then, yes. I will answer your questions to the best of my ability."

Terra's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't believe what she was hearing! Her mind then raced, thinking of where to begin. She had so many questions, and didn't want to tire Cid before she got to the most important of all…

"Cid," Terra said quickly. "There was a man—A security guard—That I ran into. He tried to call up security on me to turn me into the imperialists, and somehow—I seriously don't know how it happened—but he caught on fire."

Cid swallowed hard, briefly meeting her eyes before looking down into the floor. Terra continued.

"Curious, isn't it? How—I mean, really. How could that have happened? Did—Did I have anything to do with it?"

Cid rested his forehead on his hand, rubbing his temple.

"Oh, Terra. You choose the most difficult question of all." He said wearily. "But alas, I promised I'd answer. These are things the Empire didn't want you knowing until you were quite a bit older, you see. So, me telling ya isn't exactly going by his Excellency's wishes…"

"Oh, but please tell me! I _must _know! I'm tired of knowing there's something wrong with me, but not knowing what it is!" She exclaimed.

Cid looked around the room, then looked up at the ceiling. He was trying to decide the best way to answer her question.

"Well, first off Terra, there ain't anything wrong with you. Never has been." He rubbed his temple again, then muttered under his breath. "Aww, how to put this…"

Terra stiffened, wondering what the secret was about her that she had been wondering all of those years. Cid finally drew in a breath and said.

"Well, I guess there's no other better way to tell you but bluntly. You were born with the gift of magic, Terra."

Terra's eyes widened. She hadn't expected that. Her? Have magic? Now it made sense to her why the empire had held her captive. She then began to wonder…

"The others," Terra breathed. "Kefka, Leo, Celes—Do they—"

"No, my dear. They don't have magic." Cid answered for her. "Only you. You are a very unique being, Terra. I don't think there is any other quite like you out there."

"Being? Then, _what am I?_" She asked.

Cid gestured to the seat in front of him.

"Why don't you sit down? I have a story to tell you."

Terra obeyed. Her deep green eyes focused on Cid's kind blue ones.

Cid's forehead crinkled into a frown, as he rubbed his eyebrows.

"Now, lets see. Where to begin… Where to begin… Terra, have I ever told you of the human girl who stumbled into the Esper world by mistake?"

Terra shook her head.

"You mentioned it," Terra replied. "But you never told me the story."

"Ah, than that's where we begin." Cid cleared his throat, then went on.

"Well, as you know, after the War of the Magi 1000 years ago, the Espers sealed the gate to their world, having been done with their dealings of the human race's craving for their power. They lived in peace and harmony for quite some time, until eleven years ago.

"Eleven years ago, the gate's seal had somehow been broken, and accidentally a young human woman stumbled upon the Esper world. Her name was Madeline."

Terra listened intently, hanging onto Cid's every word as he continued with his story.

"The Espers didn't know what to do with her. They were disgusted by humans, and to be quite truthful, feared them. They wanted nothing to do with her, and perhaps would've done away with her, had one man of their race not stood up and took her in to nurse her back to health. This Esper became her friend, and her only supporter amongst the Espers.

"Madeline had no real desire to return to the human world. She thought their world was flawed and filled with greed. She would've been perfectly happy to live in their world. This pleased the Esper who had rescued her, as secretly, he had begun to fall in love with this human woman. But the other Espers could not accept a human living amongst them, and declared she must leave or others would stumble upon their world as well.

"One morning, she snuck away from the kind Esper's home, and made her way back to the gate, determined to make her way home. Before she crossed the gate, however, the Esper who had rescued her came and confessed his feelings for her. He convinced her to stay, and the two of them married."

"How did the other Espers feel about it?" Terra asked him.

"I wouldn't know." Cid said slowly. "I reckon they hated it, but they couldn't do much, as Maduin – er, sorry, that's the Esper which rescued Madeline, had a very good relationship with the elder of the Esper world -"

"Maduin," Terra said quietly. "I've heard that name somewhere before."

"Have you? I'm not surprised, he's probably been mentioned around here somewhere. Anyway, back to the story: The two of them got married, and not too awful long later, had a baby girl. She was a special girl, and very unique. There was no one else like her. She was half-human and half-Esper. They named her Terra."

Terra's eyes widened as she grasped the arms of her chair tightly.

"Was that- Me?" She gasped.

Cid smiled and nodded.

"Yes, Terra. It was you. You were their child, and so, naturally you were gifted with your father's abilities."

"So, you knew my parents then." Terra said quietly. "What happened to them, where are they now?"

Cid sighed.

"That's the trouble. Two years after you were born, an army of imperial troops, led by Emperor Gestahl stumbled across the Esper world after many years of trying to locate it, and captured many Espers. There was great peril that day. The Elder, who was the very last descendant able to do so, formed a Sealed Gate around the entrance to the Esper world. The Espers blamed all of this mayhem on Madeline, saying it was all her fault. Feeling pained by this, Madeline attempted to leave with you, back to the human world, but Maduin stopped her. Unfortunately, your mother and father were sealed out as well when the gate closed. Emperor Gestahl had great interest in you. He saw much potential in a half-human, half-Esper hybrid, and thought— Well he thought it would definitely be worth his while to raise you and see how you grew up."

Naturally, Cid couldn't tell the girl that truth was Gestahl had decided on that day, then and there, that Terra would serve him forever as his first and true magitek knight.

"But, Cid. What happened to my parents? Are they still alive?"

Cid hesitated before answering.

"Yes, and no. Your mother's not, she didn't survive the attack after the gate closed, but your father… He's out there, somewhere."

"Does he know I'm here? Could he come looking for me?" Terra asked hopefully. This was exactly the kind of happy ending she was hoping for. That her father that she didn't know she still had would come and rescue her and they'd live happily ever after. Cid shook his head solemnly.

"I'm afraid, no. He doesn't know where you are. In fact, he doesn't even know that you survived. Even if he did, and he knew where to look, he could never find you. I'm sorry, Terra."

Terra's face fell, as she nodded painfully.

"Thank you, Cid. For telling me." She said in a small voice.

Cid nodded.

"You deserved to know. And now you do. Now you know why you're different, and that's why you heard the Espers when no one else could."

"But, that doesn't entirely make sense," Terra said with a frown. "Once they awakened, Kefka could hear them too. They spoke to him as well as they did to me, and he spoke back."

"Ah, but you see, once they were awakened they spoke our language that is comprehendible by humans. They were contacting you through a different method, not by physical words, but were mentally sending you a message. They were able to connect with you." Cid replied.

Terra shivered slightly. At last she finally knew the truth, although she wasn't entirely sure whether it thrilled her to know that she was only 'half-human' or not. She had always strived to be normal, and now she could never be normal, no matter what she did because it was in her blood. She could never be like everyone else. Apart of her never wanted the others to know. What if they didn't treat her the same? What if they didn't like her anymore? Or what if they feared her, after hearing what happened to the man she burnt… The thought of the burning man brought tears rimming her eyes.

"Oh, Cid! Then that man back there. That poor, poor man! I killed him!" She asked in disbelief.

Cid looked down solemnly.

"Now, Terra, you didn't mean to. Your powers got the better of you. Perhaps they were triggered by a very strong emotion. Were you feeling any particular way, or silently wishing the man ill?"

"No!" Terra said, shaking her head violently. "I mean, I wanted to escape somehow but I didn't want to _kill him._ Oh no, what am I going to do! I can't believe that I actually killed someone!"

Terra buried her face in her hands, as tears began to run down them. She was shaken all over. She had taken an innocent life, without any real reason to. The poor man was only doing his job. He didn't deserve such a painful death. She felt awful just thinking about it.

Cid walked over and gave her a hug, which she allowed reluctantly.

"Terra," He said softly in her sea-foam hair. "Try to forget about what happened. I know it's hard, but it wasn't your fault. You didn't mean to kill him, and that's what counts."

It was easy enough for Cid to say, but you know how that saying goes: Easier said than done. Terra could never forget the first human life she had taken.

"Now, was there anything else you had wanted to ask me before I get you back upstairs with the others?" He asked, trying to break up the pained silence.

Terra's head snapped up, remembering all of the other questions that she had come there to ask. If she didn't ask then, she probably never would have the opportunity again.

"Please, tell me… What _IS _the reason that we're still here, locked up in a hall like we are? Is it really all that necessary? We're all getting so depressed being up there. We've grown up not even knowing what the world around us is like! Can you imagine it?"

As Cid opened his mouth to speak, Terra continued.

"We can't live like this anymore, we just can't! Something HAS to be done about this, or else something bad's going to happen to all of us! Kefka keeps talking about killing himself, and I'm so scared that one of these days he's going to go ahead and do it. He's already threatened to jump out the window."

Cid considered her seriously a moment before responding.

"I know, Kefka's concerning me." He said finally. "I've been watching him, and as I continuously tell myself that he's only going through a phase, that he'll get over it, he continues to just plunge farther into the deep end. I wouldn't be too worried about him committing suicide though, Terra. It'll be a lot harder for him to do than it sounds."

Terra bit her lip and nodded painfully, not believing Cid at all.

"As far as why y'all have to be kept here, I'm afraid I can't answer that entirely truthfully. That's secret business between me and Emperor Gest—"

"It's between us too." Terra broke in. "Because _we're _stuck in the middle of it!"

"I'm sorry, Terra. I wish you could leave, I really truly do. But all I can tell ya is _soon._" He noticed Terra sigh and throw her arms up in the air in despair as he went on to say rather quickly. "No, really. I know I've been telling you soon for years, but the one reason why you're all being kept here is nearly done at last, then you all can leave! Really, I promise!"

Terra stifled a sniffle.

"I want a date," She said. "A date to give the others. If we're not released by that date, then Cid, we're going to have to take further measures."

Cid chucked to himself.

"So official, you're very smart for your age, Terra. Lady Rochelle used to tell me that." Cid rubbed his eye. "So, is that everything?"

Terra nodded, then said.

"You really don't think Kefka will kill himself, do you?"

"Nah, doubtful. Kefka's got a bit too much bravado to do something that stupid. I can definitely see him use it as a threat, and make a show of it, but him actually do it… I doubt it."

"But you don't hear him everyday," Terra protested. "Or see the way he is all the time. I'm so scared, Cid. I love him so much, I couldn't bear it if he did something to himself."

"Have you tried telling him that?" Cid asked her.

"Well, no. Of course not."

"Then try it. It might do some good if you tell him how you feel."

Terra eyed him suspiciously, feeling that the man was finally off his rocker.

"He'd think I'm an idiot or something."

Cid shrugged. "Whatever you say, but I think it would make a world of difference."

Terra looked over at him with saddened eyes, eyes that pierced Cid right to his very heart. It hurt him to disappoint those eyes, and not be able to provide her with the answers that she was hoping to hear. But at least he was honest – for the most part – with her. He took her hand.

"Come on, let's get you back up to the others. I'll bet they're all wondering what happened to you."

With deep reluctance, Terra accepted his hand, and allowed him to lead her down the hall, back up to the tower she was so familiar with and had a sincere hatred for.

When they entered the playroom, Kefka looked up at them curiously.

"Here's the little escape-artist." Cid said in a teasing way. "Anyone wonder where she'd gone?"

Leo glanced over towards Terra, then up to Cid again.

"You mean, she wasn't in her room?" He asked incredulously.

Cid shook his head.

"Nope, but never mind. She found me, and all's well now."

Kefka's eyes met Terra's, and Terra could tell by the look in his eyes that he suspected he knew what she had gone to go do – Speak with the Espers, as she had threatened.

She had tried to break away from his gaze innocently, as she wasn't entirely ready to explain everything that had gone on yet. From the burning man, down to the fact that she was part Esper and that she still didn't know when they'd be leaving.

"Where was she?" Celes asked.

"Never you mind, there. She's all safe and sound now. Don't bother her too much, she's had a rough time." Cid winked over at Terra, then patted her on the back.

"I'll see you kids later."

He then closed the door behind him.

Leo leapt up and went over to Terra.

"Terra, I'm not going to bother you, but could I at least ask -"

"No," Terra said sharply. " I don't feel like talking about it."

Leo hesitated, then nodded. He wanted to press further, but Cid had already warned them not to. He figured eventually Terra would speak on her own, when she was ready.

**Author's Note:**

Hmm, for once I have nothing to say! Except thank you reviewers, those who are going to review, and especially, thank you for reading!


	12. A Single Ray of Hope

**Chapter Twelve: A Single Ray of Hope**

Leo sighed as he sorted through his pile of textbooks, trying to find the one he was referencing with yet again. It was time for final exams, and it would be Leo's last year of school, if he'd manage to pass that is. He'd gotten Kefka to help him with some of it. History and science in particular, as those were Kefka's favorite subjects and he'd researched them to the maximum from reading almost the entire library. Leo didn't know if there was literally a single book in there that Kefka hadn't touched – except for a section on politics, he hated politics. Leo was writing a report on government, and asked for Kefka to aid him by rereading his work to be sure everything sounded okay, but Kefka left some time ago, muttering to himself something about that he'd had it, and told Leo that he's going to go off and jump out the window if he didn't stop him. Leo hadn't taken him seriously, as this wasn't the first time he'd threatened to do so. It seemed to be Kefka's way of getting Leo's attention, and normally Leo would put up with it, but right then he didn't have the time for Kefka's games – he had his own mess to deal with right then.

He strained to look at the clock above the fireplace. It was already midnight. He told himself after he finished another paragraph he'd quit for the night and resume in the morning. He reasoned that perhaps by then Kefka would be in a better mood to look over his paper, or if not, maybe he could get Celes to try and review it. Only he didn't know if he really wanted her to – she was terrible at spelling, and hated reading. After thinking it over, he didn't think she'd be of much help at all.

Just then, Celes poked her head in the library. A look of concern shadowed her face.

"Hey," Leo said in greeting. "What are you still doing up?"

"Well, it's rather hard to sleep, since Kefka's whooping up a racket in the room next door." She said, rolling her eyes.

"I see," Leo said, shutting his book. "Okay, I'll go see if I can stop him. Guess he found something to preoccupy himself with. Although I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing."

He kissed the top of Celes's head, then smiled down at her.

"Goodnight, get some sleep, okay?"

She smiled and nodded.

Leo went off to go see what Kefka was up to. It was no surprise that he was still up – in a way. But normally when he'd stay up late it would be due to a book he was reading or talking late into the night with Leo, never by himself _in his room. _But then again, Leo reasoned that he probably has never been in his room by himself at this hour. Leo sighed, he'd never be able to understand his friend.

He entered the room, throwing down his book bag as he came.

"Well, I'm here. Celes told me you were making a lot of racket and – Oh God, Kefka!"

Leo dropped his report in shock. Kefka was half out of the window with a rope tied around his neck. The other end of the rope had been tied to the bedpost. He hadn't seemed to notice Leo's entrance as he slowly began to lower himself further out the window.

Leo leapt up as fast as he could and he seized Kefka mercilessly under the arms. After a moment of fighting him and struggling to pull him in, they both collapsed on the floor, with Leo on top of him.

"What the hell –" Leo began.

Kefka was pulling at the ropes, gasping for breath.

"Leo –" He barely managed to whisper. "Leo – You're choking – me."

"What? Oh,"

Leo got off the rope, as he was pulling it tightly around Kefka's neck. He then drew a switchblade from his pocket and cut the ropes around his neck and glared at him.

"What was that performance?" Leo asked in disgust.

"I told you." Kefka said weakly.

"TOLD ME WHAT!" Leo roared, his patience quickly running thin.

"I told you that if you didn't come and stop me, I'd go kill myself." Was his reply.

"No, Kefka! No, no, no! This is NOT how things work around here." Leo said, shaking the switchblade in front of his face. He then pointed at the window. "We don't go off to _hang ourselves_ every time some trauma befalls us, do you hear! I never want to see you do that again!"

Kefka remained silent. Apparently he didn't agree with Leo's opinion. Leo grasped the front of Kefka's shirt violently.

"I'm tired of this, Kefka. I'm so sick and tired of this! Do you know how much you mean to me, to Terra, to Celes! For God's sake, Cid even cares about you. And what about Lady Rochelle? She loved us, _all of us."_

"She loved you." Kefka said quietly. Leo shook him.

"All of us, Kefka, whether you choose to believe that or not. What would they think if you killed yourself? Think they'd be impressed? Come on! You're better than this! Snap out of it!"  
"I can't take it anymore!" Kefka shouted at him. "I can't stand it for another day! I've tried everything, but I'm going mad in here, Leo. I want out of here! I want to smell the fresh air, feel the sunshine, to see the night sky. Not from a window, but in real life! Doesn't every human deserve this?"

"We've been through this already." Leo said through gritted teeth. "Yes, I totally agree with you, but –"

"They're never going to let us out, Leo. Can't you see that? We've been patient. We've been waiting. But tell me, how much longer are you going to wait? What more has to happen before you decide to lose faith as well? Didn't you hear Terra this afternoon? She's suffering too, because she misses the same things I do."

"You're the cause of it. She's acting out because of you! Because you can't hold yourself together, when will you realize that you're her role model, that she looks up to you!" Leo said flabbergasted.

Kefka leaned against the wall, not looking directly at Leo as he spoke.

"She doesn't like me anymore anyway." He said quietly.

It took all of the willpower that Leo owned to not get impatient with him and strangle him.

"And what makes you think this?"

"She never wants to spend time with me anymore. She's moved on… Away from me."

"Well, she's not as dependant on you as she once was." Leo replied. "But I know she still cares about you. Very, _very _much. She'd be heartbroken if you did this."

"We need someone to raise us, Leo." Kefka said. "Not just ourselves. We've all gone through so many changes, important ones too. We were children when we arrived here, now we're reaching adulthood. We need adults' guidance, stuff we don't have. You help, but -"

"I know, I understand. It would be nice to have an adult to raise us, especially with everything you're going through right now."

The two remained silent, with only the crickets chirping outside to break up the silence that reigned. Leo hesitated, then said finally.

"There's something I've wanted to talk to you about."

Kefka looked up but said nothing.

"I've been offered up a job as a commander of the imperial soldiers."

"What! Commander? Before even joining the military as a soldier? You'll be skipping ranks. A ton of ranks!"

"Yes, I know." Leo said. "I thought this a bit odd too, but due to shortages, and my previous training, they think I'd fit the job."

"So just like that, they're going to let you go from this place?"

"Yeah, weird huh?"

"Tell them I want to be a soldier too!"

"But I thought you didn't want to be a soldier?" Leo asked confusedly.

"Well, I don't." Kefka replied slowly. "But I'd do anything to get out of here!"

Leo chuckled softly.

"Sure, I'll let them know."

"But why, then." Kefka said in question, more to himself than anyone. "Why did they keep you here in the first place?"

"I don't know." Was all Leo said.

"You're not going to actually _go, _are you?"

"Well, I'm debating it." Leo admitted.

"No, you can't go! You can't! What would we do without you? What would _I _do without you! I couldn't live! The girls would have no one to look out for them! Please, you can't leave us! Do you know how much joy you've brought into this nearly dead place of ours? You've made it livable here for as long as we've been here. You're the life of the party. You can't just leave us like this!" Kefka insisted.

"That's why I need you to become stable. I need you to look after the girls while I'm gone." Leo replied.

"But I can't do that! You said yourself that I'm setting a bad example for them!"

"Only if you want to set a bad example are you actually doing it." Leo told him. "You can correct yourself, you just need to try. You can help them just the way that I have. You can bring that same sort of life to this place that I have as well. You just have to try."

Kefka was shaking his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe Leo would actually _consider _leaving them like this! In this place! He thought they would all be getting out together, not broken up! He also wasn't confident that he could take care of Celes and Terra. Not alone. He couldn't count on himself to take care of them, not in the instable state that he was in.

"I don't know why you have so much faith in me." Kefka said.

"Because, I trust you." Leo said finally. "Because you're my best friend, and I've known you for a very long time. You love Terra and Celes just as much as I do, and I know that you have their best interests at heart."

"You don't think I'm untrustworthy, like Cid does?"

"No," Leo said slowly. "Wait, what do you mean Cid thinks you're untrustworthy?"

"With the girls." Kefka replied bitterly. "He doesn't like me being with them alone. He thinks I'd do something to one of them."

Leo was quiet.

"I wasn't aware of that." He said finally. "Don't worry about it. Cid just doesn't know you very well. But _I _do, and I know you wouldn't do anything to harm them… Right?"

"What? Oh yes, yes of course." Kefka said distractedly.

Leo met Kefka's eyes and said.

"You will hold yourself together while I'm gone, won't you?"

"You won't go though, will you?" Kefka asked in barely more than a whisper. "If I promise to hold myself together, will you stay?"

Leo laughed and tousled Kefka's hair.

"You're very funny. _Maybe_. We'll see. I haven't decided yet."

Kefka scowled at Leo disrupting his hair as he leapt up to the dresser and brushed it.

"So if you leave, when will we ever see you again?" He asked Leo.

"Don't worry, you'll still see me on weekends and I'll spend all of my time off for the holidays here with you." Leo replied. "And maybe – if Cid allows it, I can come back at night and go off during the day."

Kefka's eyes lit up by this suggestion, then darkened.

"Yeah, he'll never go for that."

"He might. Especially during my training."

"Your training? I thought you said you were being hired on as commander?"

"Yes, I am. But I have training to finish up first."

"Oh."

Kefka set the brush aside, and climbed into bed slowly, thinking more deeply into everything Leo had said. Leo then stood up, twisting the rope that Kefka had tried to hang himself with only minutes ago.

"I still can't believe you tried to hang yourself." Leo said dismally.

"I'm sorry, but I was desperate. I just can't stand it in here anymore."

To Kefka's surprise, Leo went over and gave him a hug in what Kefka thought for probably for the first time in three years. Leo then abruptly grabbed his arms and pulled him away from himself to look him in the eye.  
"Now, promise me you'll do no more of that nonsense. That really scared me, Kefka. Don't let me have to witness that again."

Kefka nodded, averting his eyes from Leo's. Truth was, he wasn't convinced that he wouldn't do it again, but if he did he'd make sure Leo wasn't anywhere near to see it. Leo nodded in return.

"Good. Now, then, good-night."

Leo walked over to his bed and got under the covers, staring up at the ceiling for the longest time in the darkened room. Many thoughts protruded in his mind, most of them were questions. He wanted very desperately to leave, nearly just as bad as Kefka did. Yet he felt sorry to leave the others behind, and to know that they weren't experiencing the joy he'd feel from being out in the world as he was. The conflicting emotions were driving him mad. He finally decided to shrug it all away and roll over, trying to fall asleep.

"Hey, Leo?" Kefka asked him.

Leo turned to glance over in his direction.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think that if you leave, that we'll be right behind you?"

Leo was silent a moment before responding.

"I hope so, Kefka." He said. "All I can do is hope."

"Hope." Kefka repeated, rolling onto his back to look up at the ceiling. "I had almost forgotten what that emotion was. Such a blissful, sweet, meaningless thing…"

"Hope is everything." Leo said impatiently. "You disregard it too quickly. If you had any, at all, then you wouldn't have tried to kill yourself tonight like you had."

Kefka didn't reply.

Sleep was normally a blissful thing for Leo. It was a way to escape all of the world's troubles and to live in a non-existent world. But Leo didn't experience the pleasure of sleep that night as he tossed and turned. Thinking of his exam, or thinking of leaving, or of Kefka's issues. It hadn't even seemed as though he had slept at all by the time morning had arrived. Kefka was already gone. That was unusual for him to be out of bed before Leo. But he'd probably had far more sleep than he had. Leo stretched and got out of bed, stumbling towards the closet to find some clothes to change into. He heard talking and footsteps out in the hall, which meant everyone else was probably already awake. He dressed quickly and went out to meet them.

Everyone was in the playroom sitting in a circle playing a card game. They all appeared jolly and happier than Leo had seen them in a long while. It had been even longer since Leo had seen Celes and Kefka do anything together, and get along whilst doing it to boot. He grinned, then headed over to the breakfast tray.

"So, everyone's eaten, I take it?" Leo said, observing the tray to be mostly devoured.

Kefka looked over at him.

"Well, do you mean breakfast or lunch?" He asked him.

Leo shot him a glance.

"I was simply asking a question. You didn't have to get cocky with me."

"No, no. I wasn't trying to be cocky. "Kefka said quickly. "It's just that it's almost noon already. It was just a joke, honest."

Leo glanced over at the clock and lo and behold, it really was almost noon! He couldn't believe that he had slept in that late.

After lunch, Leo had gone off to the library to finish studying, and told everyone else not to enter unless they were coming to help him. Needless to say, no one entered the library while he was in there.

Kefka had decided to finally attack the mess around his side of the room that had been collecting up over the past few weeks. He was a terrible organizer, and had a tendency to discard whatever he wasn't using at the moment beside his bed – which in result left him with a gigantic pile of random junk. While he did so, Terra came in.

"Mind if we talk?" She asked him, shutting the door behind her.

He glanced up.

"Oh no, not at all. What's up, Terra?"

"I heard what you did last night." She said quietly.

Kefka looked back towards his piles of clutter, too ashamed to meet her eye.

"Why did you do it?" She asked.

"Gee, Leo doesn't like to keep anything quiet, does he?" Kefka said sarcastically, ignoring Terra's question.

"No, I heard you guys last night. I heard the argument, and all that was said in between." She replied. "Leo didn't tell me a thing."

"Oh,"

"But why would you do it?" Terra persisted.

After fidgeting with the collar of a shirt for a moment, he finally responded vaguely.

"If you heard the argument last night, then you should know why."

"I heard, but I don't know why you'd be so selfish!"

"Selfish?"

"I love you! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Kefka looked up, looking into those deep green eyes that were now glassy with tears. He hated seeing her cry, and as painful as those eyes were to look into, he couldn't bring himself to turn away. He sighed.

"Yes, of course it does. And I love you too. Always."

"I couldn't live here without you! So you might as well kill me too!" She said.

He considered her a moment.

"Terra –"

"I know it's hard," She said softly. "And sometimes it feels like we cannot get through another day, but we have so far, haven't we? Please, let's not let any one of us leave until we can all leave. Together."

"Too late for that," Kefka replied stiffly. "Leo already said he's leaving."

Terra looked at him curiously.

"What!"

"Yeah,"

"But where's he going?"

"He's been offered to join the imperial army as one of their commanders."

"But, he's not going to accept, is he? I mean, he can't just leave!" Terra said, sounding much as Kefka had the night before.

Kefka shook his head.

"Apparently, he thinks he can."

Terra stared into Kefka's pile of rubble, lost in thought. Leo was the life which kept everyone going strong. Without him, she couldn't imagine what things would be like. Kefka was so instable, and Celes was just downright unreliable, things would just falter and crumble without him.

To Terra's surprise, Kefka snatched up her hand.

"I promise you, Terra, no matter what happens, things will be okay."

Terra pulled her hand away, meeting his eye critically.

"How can things be okay if you're trying to kill yourself every minute?"

"I'm not going to do it anymore." Kefka said finally. "You've convinced me now that I have something I must live for, and I promise you, I'll live up to that expectation. I'll see to it that we survive, and leave this place soon. I figure once Leo leaves we'll be more freed up to come up with an escape plan."

Terra eyed him suspiciously.

"You're not still thinking about all of us escaping, are you?"

"And you're going to pick me apart if I am?" He challenged. Terra remained silent. He went on. "Look, if I think it's the only way out of here, I'm going to take it. Unlike Leo, I don't have plans to just sit here patiently and rot until the day they finally choose to let us out."

"But Leo's not, either. He's leaving us." Terra pointed out.

"Yes, that's true."

"I don't want him to leave!"

"Me either."

Kefka's hand moved through the pile and found the wooden chess set that Leo and him had used only a few days prior. He pulled the trunk towards him, brushing a hand over the lid.

"By the way." Terra said finally, straightening herself up. "Do you know what happened the day Cid brought me back to our hall?"

Kefka frowned.

"Oh yeah, I had almost forgotten about that! What happened?"

After withdrawing a deep breath, Terra related everything that had transpired that day. From the plan of speaking with the Espers once more, to running into the security guard.

"And did you know, no one even knows we're up here?" Terra asked him incredulously.

"Are you serious?" He asked with a frown.

"He seemed to think our tower was closed off. Curious, isn't it?"

"Yes," Kefka replied distractedly, his mind racing fast. Now, why was that, he wondered to himself. That was most definitely curious. It was as if…

"No one knows of our existence." Kefka said finally. "That's why we're up here. Cid doesn't want anyone to know we even exist!"

"Probably! But why, do you think?" Terra asked him.

Kefka hadn't gotten that far.

Terra then went on to explain how she had set the man on fire. Kefka's eyes widened at this, but he was polite enough not to interrupt. She then told him that once she got to the Esper room she ran into Cid, who told her a terrible truth.

"We were right all along, there is something different about me." Terra told him. "I'm half-Esper."

After a long silence, Kefka spoke.

"What do you mean 'half'?"

"My mother was human," She explained. "And my father was an Esper. My mother died after being thrown out of the Esper world, but Cid said my father's still alive, and is out there somewhere."

"I'll bet he could help us." Kefka said bitterly. "He loves humans, or at least one of them. He'd probably be more open-minded to hear our plight, at least."

Terra looked over at him with glassy eyes.

"It frightens me," She said.

"What frightens you?"

"That I'm part Esper. What if – I mean, I killed that man… What if I hurt someone else without meaning to?"

"Hey, that gives me an idea." Kefka said slowly. "You could stun Cid next time he comes so we can escape."

"That's not funny, Kefka!" Terra said in a pained tone. "I mean, what if I hurt one of you or something?"

Kefka wrapped an arm around her, resting his head against hers.

"It's okay. Really. I think it's great that you're part Esper."

"I don't!" Terra retorted. "It was bad enough knowing that I was different than everyone else, but to know that I'm of a different species entirely!"

"Not entirely." Kefka corrected her. "You are half human. Don't forget that."

"Please don't tell the others," She said finally. "I don't know what they'd think of me if they knew."

"Nothing, probably." Kefka replied. "Unless of course they're jealous, like I am. That must be so cool to have magic. I can't even imagine!"

Terra thought if he was trying to make her feel better, he was doing a foul job of it. She really didn't know what to think of the fact that she had magic, but she figured it must've had something to do with why they were locked up there, and why the empire didn't want anyone knowing that they existed.

**Author's Note:**

Alright, they're almost out of the facility now! Just another chapter or two! I was determined to slow the pace a bit after the first two chapters as I thought those progressed a little too fast. But I'm wondering now, am I making this a little too slow paced? Too slow that anyone's losing interest in it? I hope everyone's stuck around this long to read up to this point and will continue to see what happens next. I'm slow into getting into this story, as I am with most of my fanfics. Please read and review, I'm curious to hear your thoughts! Thanks!


	13. Taste of Freedom

**Chapter Thirteen: Taste of Freedom**

The days that followed Leo's departure were not joyful for the ones that he left behind. Many hearts were broken, and many hours passed without even a smile. Days would go by without a single laugh, and not a tear would be shed out of joy. Leo had been the one that brought life to their lonely hall, and now that spark of life was gone – and would never be able to be relit without him.

True to his word, he did return on the weekends at first. After the first rough week without him, they were simply overjoyed to see him. He came bearing gifts for all of them, as well as many hugs. Leo told them amazing stories of what he had done, and what the city of Vector was like these days.

"Oh Kefka, just wait and see how much it's changed!" He exclaimed. "I swear you probably wouldn't recognize it!"

He also told them that there had been a new school built, as the population had increased greatly over the past five years in Vector, and the schoolhouse that they had attended had become too small for all the children. He got to take a peek at it, and was sure Terra and Celes would love it once they left.

"The palace is just as it used to be though." Leo told them. "I even went by to see our old rooms, and aside from being dusted and such, it looks exactly like how we left it!"

Kefka smiled at the thought of no one else living in his old room. For some reason that thought just bothered him.

Leo told them about all the people he had seen again that they used to know. Madam Romanski, their old teacher, was still teaching in the new school, although he hadn't gotten the opportunity to see her again. Prime Minister Gilfiroyd was still in office, and hadn't seemed to age a day – which was rather a disappointment to Leo, and many, as Gilfiroyd wasn't exactly a favorite figure within the Empire. He also found out, quite painfully, about Lady Rochelle's execution.

"Lady Rochelle isn't alive anymore." Leo said sadly. "She had been killed for treason some time ago."

Terra was probably affected by this more than anyone else. She had somehow known that their parting with Rochelle would be forever. She just felt that she'd never see her again. Damn, she was right! She told herself time and time again that she was most likely just mistaken, that they would see her again, but now the painful truth was revealed to her, and she couldn't help but wonder if some of the other things she had prophesied were to come true as well.

Hearing about the outside world brought a spark of hope and joy to their hearts. It was almost as if they themselves had seen and experienced the same things that Leo had. After his first weekend with them had passed and he had to return to training, he promised them that he'd speak with whoever he could about the three of them being released as well, and that he'd be back the next weekend.

For a time, these visits worked out wonderfully for them. With Leo bringing them things as well as telling stories of the world, but soon it became a drag – they wanted to see and experience all these things for themselves, not just hear about them from their friend. Leo also began coming less frequently over the course of months.

Seven months had gone by since Leo first had left to join the military, and now it had been three months since his last visit to the tower. Celes kept a calendar, keeping track of all the days he had been gone, and how many days they had left to endure without him. They felt lost and confused, unsure of how to take this separation from Leo. For a time, Kefka had had much faith in him. He was rather upset that Leo had chosen to go into the military without them to begin with, but for once he was optimistic, telling the girls that he was doing it for 'their' best interests as well as his own. He thought surely with Leo working on the case, he'd be able to get them out of there in a timely way. But slowly, Kefka began to notice otherwise. Leo was too enamored by the world outside of the tower, and was too deeply involved in his own life and dealings. Not meaningfully, he slowly began to forget about them, and how they were still imprisoned in the jail that had once held him for so long. He seemed to think that because he was experiencing these things, that they too must be as well. He didn't seem to realize that they still suffered, and still longed to see, hear and feel the outside world. Kefka noticed his friend slipping away from them. He didn't know what to think. At first he felt hurt and betrayed. Slowly, the sense of pain that he endured turned to anger. He couldn't believe Leo of all people would abandon them! He believed in him, and this was all he had to show for it. He was grieved by it, to say the very least. And apart of him could never forgive him. Ever.

Kefka had managed to pull himself together for the girls. He realized that they now relied on him, and despite the fact that he too needed someone to lean on, he tried his best to be supportive for the girls. He stopped attempting suicide, and even talking about it. Instead, he began to focus on far more, productive things to do with his life – such as an escape plan for the three of them.

The only one that knew he was working on this was Terra, as he trusted no one else with his plans. He knew Leo would highly discourage it, and perhaps even report it to Cid or the Empire. But at this point, Kefka didn't care what Leo thought. Leo got his freedom, now it was their turn. He hadn't mentioned the plan to Celes, either. He was too concerned she might let it slip to Leo, or perhaps even to Cid, and he didn't want to risk that just then.

Many nights long after midnight Kefka would be working on sketches of the inside of the research facility. He had been creating maps, and taking notes on what doors led where, which ones had security systems or guards, and most importantly, which ones led out and their codes. Kefka was having a hard time trying to learn the codes. He tore apart the entire library in hopes of finding some number scribbled in some book somewhere, but found nothing. He even snuck out into the library in a different part of the east tower and begun looking through desks and files, but again returned empty handed. Looking through his hand drawn maps, he frowned, rubbing a pencil against his chin, wondering which rooms to seek information from next. Terra would often accompany him during his research and planning. She sometimes would watch him over his shoulder and make suggestions, and sometimes she would just sit in the library quietly reading or merely staring out the window. Instead of finding this annoying, he found her presence comforting, and never minded when she was around. Kefka always waited to do his research after Celes had gone to bed, so as she wouldn't catch him doing it.

There were also many nights when he'd go off exploring, wanting to know what was in a particular room. Terra accompanied him once, but they had almost gotten caught. Since then Terra had left him to doing the sneaking around, thinking that she'd never be 'quite' as good as him at that.

It was one of those nights. They hadn't been there for long, as the clock only chimed eleven. Terra was sitting in the armchair by the fireplace, her eyes fixated on the clock as she watched the seconds tick by and listened to Kefka's pencil scrape against his papers. He then paused in his writing and stood up. Terra glanced over at him.

"So, Terra." He said quietly. "Do you remember all of those years ago I promised you that once I found a way out of here I'd take you into town and buy you ice cream?"

Terra blinked. Of course she had remembered that promise. She always had looked forward to that day, and secretly, she still did. Only she didn't think he'd be true to his word and take her out for ice cream anymore. She was only five back then.

"Sure I do." She replied.

Kefka walked up to her, smiling.

"Well, guess what? I just found a way."

Terra's mouth fell open in disbelief. It must've meant that he finally had found a code! Which meant…

"So you mean we can get out of here? For real?" Terra asked in awe.

Kefka nodded.

"Yes, that does. But before we pack our bags and try to leave permanently, we must test the exit first. So, how about we go get ourselves some ice cream?"

"Oh, Kefka." Terra said, looking over at the clock, now feeling stupid once the time finally came that he was asking her. "That was so long ago that you made that promise. I was such a little kid then, I don't hold you responsible for it anymore."

"Are you saying you're too old for ice cream, Terra?" He asked with a grin. "Besides, a promise is a promise, regardless of how long it must be kept or the conditions. I told you I'd take you to get ice cream once I found a way out, and I meant it."

Terra smiled at him. She hadn't felt happier in her life. Perhaps they wouldn't be leaving just yet, but at least for a moment she would get to see the world again. She leapt up and hugged him tightly.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! I can't really believe that we'll be leaving this tower. Even if it's only for one night."

"Thank me once we get out of here safely." He replied. "We haven't done it yet. But if we are successful, I can promise you many trips that we'll be taking out there from now until the time we leave."

Terra was simply ecstatic. She didn't know how to hold her excitement in without squealing. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and ran out of the room to change clothes.

For a long while she stared at her closet, wondering what she should dress in to go out. She hadn't been out in public in five years, and honestly hadn't kept up with the styles. She didn't know what was in or out anymore. It was cold outside, that much she knew. It was early December, and there was plenty of snow on the ground as well as freezing temperatures. After much debating and Celes beginning to stir awake, Terra decided on a wool dress that Cid had just given her and her coat. She carefully laced her boots, grabbed a matching pair of gloves, and headed for the door. Just as she returned to the library to meet with Kefka a terrible thought had occurred to her, spoiling the dream of a wonderful evening.

Kefka had returned long before she had, dressed in warm clothes as well as he studied his maps.

"Kefka, we can't go." Terra said painfully.

His face fell upon her words.

"What do you mean? Why?" He asked her, dreading to hear her answer.

"We don't have any money to buy ice cream." She said sadly.

To Terra's surprise, Kefka chuckled softly.

"Oh, you silly girl. Didn't you realize I must've already thought of that? I have plenty of money, so don't worry."

Terra eyed him suspiciously.

"How come you have 'plenty' of money?"

"I've earned it. Or I should say, acquired it."

"Oh no! Kefka, please don't tell me that you've been stealing!" Terra exclaimed, horrified.

"No, no." Kefka said quickly. "Not exactly 'stealing', but borrowing it from Leo. I've snuck out some money from his wallet here and there, but he hasn't seemed to notice any."

"That's stealing." Terra muttered quietly.

"Stealing or not, I'm doing it for a good cause. We need some money for our escape. We can't go out there empty handed." He tried to reason with her. "Besides, I'll give it back to him. _Eventually_."

He carefully folded his maps and put them in his coat pocket as he withdrew a pair of gloves.

"Now come on, the world outside awaits us." He whispered, taking her hand in his.

Terra took his hand excitedly, as the two ventured their way out of their hall, and out of the tower for the first time in five years.

They were pretty customary to the halls within the east tower and knew what doors went where, but that night Kefka led Terra down a different hall and a set of stairs that she had never been down before. They went quickly and silently, without taking the risk of bringing any sort of light with them lest they get caught, but instead worked with what the moonlight offered them. At last, they reached the first floor of the tower, and a thick heavy metal door armed with an alarm system. To the right of the door it had a keypad and also where you could swipe an ID card, which obviously they didn't have.

Without referring to his maps, as he forced himself to memorize the code, he keyed in the following:

995807361

He held his breath, waiting as it processed his entrance, praying that he had memorized the code correctly and that it wouldn't reject him. The red light above the door then turned green, and along the keypad it read 'approved'. Terra let out a squeal of excitement as they both turned to exchange glances. They couldn't believe that they were so close to freedom. Just after they turned that doorknob.

Terra then suddenly became afraid. What would the world be like to her now? Terra had lusted for freedom for so long, and now she was unsure of it. How would it treat them? What would it be like to see people again besides themselves? She didn't have the time to stop and think or reconsider as Kefka turned the doorknob and swung the door open with ease. The sight took her breath away.

Before her lay steps that went down to the sidewalk leading away from the facility, and beyond she could see the busy streets of Vector, all lit up with holiday lights and streetlamps. Snow blanketed the majority of the ground, and the air was cold and misty. The sight was beautiful in Terra and Kefka's eyes from not having seen anything quite like this so close in such a very long time. They had seen these things from windows, but it wasn't anything like they were experiencing then.

"Are you ready?" He asked her, wrapping her gloved hand in his.

Terra nodded. With great care and precision, Terra took a step onto one of the icy steps leading down into the facility.

"Oh wait," Kefka said. "We'll need to cover our tracks in case someone sees them."

"Right." Terra agreed.

Snow wasn't falling at that particular moment, so the two took some snow from the grass and lightly smeared it across the steps. In Kefka's opinion, it didn't quite look as it had when they had first seen it, but thought it would have to do.

Together they slowly made their way down the sidewalk, taking in deep breaths of the cold night air. They both were amazed that they were actually doing this, and kept exchanging smiles to one another as they went. At the end of the sidewalk rested a gate, which opened out to the city of Vector. Kefka frowned, he hadn't expected a gate like this one, which too had a security device.

"Come on, let's climb over it." He told her.

Terra tilted her head, thinking that it went up too high to climb.

"Climb? Are you sure?"

"Here,"

He gave her a boost up, which she hadn't been expecting as she grasped the top of the gate, pulling herself up.

"Got it okay?" He asked her from below.

She nodded, then attempted to find her footing to slowly make her way down. She failed, and ended up falling into the soft snow below. Kefka got over much easier, as he now was already almost six foot, passing Leo up by inches. He had once been a rather short kid, and only over the past year had he really sprouted up. Leo partly wondered if that had something to do with the terrible mood swings.

Terra sat in the snow a long moment, paralyzed, but not from the fall, but by the feeling of sitting in snow. It was a feeling that she had long forgotten, and missed greatly. She was tempted to roll in it, but thought better of it. They were off to eat ice cream, she didn't want to be soaking wet inside the restaurant. She reasoned that perhaps on the way back she would have the opportunity.

When they entered the city, all they could do was stare around. Although it was eleven thirty at night, there were still tons of people packing the streets. The windows of many stores were still lit, mainly due to late hours for the holiday season. Terra had nearly completely forgotten about the ice cream, as it was a treat to merely be out amongst the people. She had thought surely people would stare at them, noticing that they had been in captivity for the past five years, but much to her surprise, no one looked at them. They were considered to just be two more teenagers filling the streets that night. Terra let out a sigh, so they had been accepted after all.

"Come on, I think there used to be an ice cream shop down this way." Kefka said, taking her hand once again so as not to lose her.

They walked up and down the streets, reading signs, and stopping to window shop occasionally. Terra had wanted to go into one of the stores, just to take a look around but Kefka shook his head.

"I'd hate to waste too much time there, or else we won't be able to get ice cream before we have to go back. I don't want us being out too long. We might get caught." He paused then added to her. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. You're right." Terra admitted shyly. "It's just that it's been so long that I want to do _everything_."

"I know." Kefka said with a sigh. "I do, too."

After quite awhile of searching, they still had not found an ice cream shop. Kefka pulled over a lady and asked her if she knew where one would be. Terra was afraid of him gathering attention to themselves, should they get noticed that they didn't belong out there and be sent back, but the lady didn't seem to think anything of them at all, and politely told him where one was at.

"Wow, I never would've known there was an ice cream parlor over there." He said. "There used to be pretty much _nothing_ out that way back when I had seen it. Leo wasn't kidding, this town really has changed."

Terra remained quiet a moment, then whispered.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?"

"Sure, why not?"

"I mean, if we got caught –"

"Oh, what would really happen to us anyway?" Kefka said irritably. "We'd get in trouble? We'd get punished? I sort of doubt they'd do much to us except give us a strong talking to, and maybe lock the door. But if they do that, I could still pick the lock so no matter what they do we can still get out. No big deal. Come on, Terra." He met her green eyes with a desperate look. "It's worth it. Let's set our worries aside for the moment and just enjoy, okay?"

Terra tried to perk up a little bit, and nodded. Kefka smiled.

"That's my girl."

They then arrived at the ice cream shop, and to their relief, it was still open. It closed at midnight, so they knew they didn't have long. They hurried inside, the bell ringing as they entered.

"Hello," The waitress called out to them, helping another customer. "I'll be right with you. Just get in line."

"Thank you," Kefka replied, obeying her and entering the short line.

Terra was glad that she had Kefka with her. She wouldn't have been confident enough to speak with people on her own. She had always been exceptionally shy, and the confinement on top of it didn't help matters.

To their surprise, the small parlor wasn't empty, but in fact had several customers. Mostly they were young teenage couples, and one table had a group of girls appearing to range from sixteen to nineteen. One of the girls caught Terra's eye and smiled at her. Terra shyly smiled back. She was still amazed that no one seemed to notice that they were different from them, but was relieved all the same.

Their turn came, and they went up to the counter. Terra eyed all of the ice cream in tubs behind the glass.

"I'd like a hot fudge sundae please." Kefka told the lady.

"Good choice on a night like this." She said, going to the counter behind her to put one together.

"Know what you're getting?" Kefka whispered to Terra.

Terra shook her head.

"I can't decide."

After eyeing them all and unable to settle on a flavor, she told the lady in a small voice that she would like a hot fudge sundae as well.

"Sure thing!" The lady said with a smile, as she quickly whipped up one for her as well.

Kefka paid her, and without a second glance or any odd statements, the lady thanked them for their business and they took a seat at one of the tables.

Terra hadn't dug into her ice cream right away, as she was too busy taking in her surroundings and observing the other customers. Occasionally a customer would come in. One elderly couple came and bought themselves ice cream cones. They took seats right beside Kefka and Terra and smiled over at them.

"Aww, how cute." The woman said with a wrinkly smile. "I guess love starts early."

"Huh?" Terra asked confusedly.

Kefka chuckled softly.

"No, no. She's a close friend. We're like brother and sister, you see."

"Oh, that's better!" the man said. "I was thinking that girl was far too young to be your girlfriend."

Terra blushed, she hadn't realized that was what they had been assuming. She then began to wonder if everyone else they had passed had thought the same.

"I don't care." Kefka told her. "They can think whatever they want to. It's not like we know them, or that we'll ever see them again."

Terra was surprised by how easily he could let something roll of his back like that. Terra internalized these things greatly, and it bothered her to think of what other people thought of them.

All too soon, the magic of that evening ended. They had finished their ice cream just before midnight, and with much regret, realized that they must head back to the tower.

"We'll do this again." Kefka told her as they were leaving the sparking, lively city. "I promise."

Terra almost broke into tears as she looked over her shoulder at the city, silently telling it good-bye and to wait for her. For soon, very soon, she would come back to see it.

**Author's Note:**

I've finally gotten this chapter up, so sorry for the delay! I hope you all enjoy it! I would love to hear what you think, so if you've got a spare moment to leave me a review, I'd greatly appreciate it. The story will be taking a bit of a different turn from here on out. As you've probably noticed in this chapter I will be focusing more on Terra and Kefka, and their futures within the empire. Thanks for reading!


	14. A Surprise Visit

**Chapter Fourteen: A Surprise Visit**

Their first night back into society would be an event that they could never forget. They planned to go again, but decided that it would be best to wait awhile in case they had left some tracks that they had been out once before. They didn't want Cid getting too suspicious and further seeing to it that they could never escape again. Kefka didn't vocalize this, but he feared that there may be far worse things that the Empire could do to them besides lock them in that tower.

They didn't tell Celes about their night out. They were somewhat afraid to. Either she'd be mad that they didn't take her, or mad that they went at all and would possibly tell Leo or Cid. Things that they didn't want to risk just yet. They did agree that eventually they would take her – or at least offer to. Whether she would consent to or not, they didn't know.

The holidays passed without a sign or word of Leo. Kefka asked Cid about him on Christmas morning when Leo was supposed to have come back a week prior and still hadn't shown up.

"I don't know what's happened to him." Cid told them with a worried expression. "Thought he'd be coming back by now."

"He must hate it here though." Celes said in Leo's defense.

Kefka glared at her.

"Yeah, so do we!" He snapped back.

It took Cid a while to try and break up their argument, which finally ended when he made the suggestion that they start unwrapping their presents.

Terra had gotten several gifts from Cid, one from a general that she didn't know, and one from the Emperor himself! This amazed her. The Emperor had actually thought of _them_? Miserable, worthless little orphans that had seemed to been forgotten about? But of course the Emperor would've thought of them, Terra rationalized. It was he after all that had them there in the first place. He was the cause of all of their pain and suffering.

Kefka privately gave Terra a gift later that night after Cid had left. It wasn't anything grand, but a book that Terra had always wanted to read, but didn't know it existed.

"I had found out that one book you like so much had a sequel published for it last month." Kefka explained. "I'm sorry I didn't take you to town with me, but I wanted to surprise you. I promise I won't go out again without you."

Terra gave him a big hug for his thoughtfulness. Kefka thought what he'd done was definitely worth it to receive gratitude such as this.

Celes had been given a pet bunny. This amazed all of them. Why would Cid even think of something like this for her? Cid had noticed that Celes seemed lonely and thought this would give her something to do. Something to care for and to keep her company when Terra and Kefka would have their heads stuck together doing something that Celes wasn't interested in. Kefka thought that this just showed how much more fond Cid was of her than anyone else, but Terra told him to cool it. It wasn't intentional 'exactly', but Celes did often times get left out whenever Kefka and Terra would be doing something. Terra thought it was only fair that she got special attention from Cid, and started to actually feel sorry for her.

"You know, we really _should_ take her into town." Terra was telling Kefka one evening. "She would love it, probably. I feel so bad that we went and she didn't."

"_I know, _but Terra, you know the way Celes is. She's all about fair, and 'rules are rules' sort of stuff. She'll never approve of us breaking out."

"Even though she hates it here?"

"Yes"

Terra wasn't altogether sure if that were true.

At long last, a week after Christmas, Leo arrived. No one had been expecting his arrival at this point, and all were certainly surprised to see him. No one's reaction held joy or excitement, all they could do was stare at him as he beamed at them, carrying many gifts which he set down at the entrance way.

"Hey, you guys! How are you! It's been _far_ too long! You don't know how much I missed all of you—"

"Where were you?" Kefka cut in, in a melancholy tone that made Leo take a step backward.

"Oh, I'm so sorry I couldn't make it for the holiday, it's just that I had so much studying to catch up on…" Leo began.

"On Christmas? Come now, Leo. Since when have you ever studied on _Christmas_? Seriously, that's the biggest piece of crap I've ever heard of." Kefka replied shortly.

Leo paused, taken aback by Kefka's rather cold welcome, then went over to embrace Celes and swing her around, the smile returning to his face. Celes giggled, and returned the hug warmly.

"I'm so glad to see you!" She said, smiling up at him.

"Me too. Oh, it's so good to be back here with you guys." Leo said, taking a mild glance down their hall then back at Celes again.

Terra watched him curiously. He seemed rather odd this visit, as if he were trying to keep something from them. He missed being back there with them? Where the heck had that come from? He hated that hall just as much as they did, and Terra knew it. A chill went down her spine. For one brief, terrifying moment, Terra felt that Leo had now become one of their enemies, and one that could no longer be trusted.

Leo then let go of Celes and made his way over to Terra, swinging her around as well.

"How have things been?" He whispered in her ear.

Terra backed away slightly. She felt confused. Confused and hurt. On the one hand, she was overjoyed to see him and was incredibly happy that he was back. On the other hand, she was angry with him for leaving them, and then not returning for visits. Terra was one easy to forgive others, but at that moment it was rather hard for her to overcome this. He had betrayed them, and not just a little, but severely.

"Okay, I guess." She replied with a shrug. "Same as always."

"Well, I'm glad to see you all are well… Come! Come! I've got presents for all of you. I'm just sorry that I'm a little late to give them out!"

He picked up his bundle and made his way to the playroom. Kefka was last in line, and remained in the doorway as the other three sat around in a circle as they unwrapped the last of their gifts. His eyes narrowed. How dare he come back and pretend like everything's fine, like everyone should just love him like they used to despite the fact that he betrayed them? Leo hadn't seemed to notice the death glares Kefka had been shooting his way, and instead handed each of the girls their gifts, then told them what his favorite general had gotten him for Christmas.

"General Nicodemus?" Terra repeated, after Leo had gotten through saying how kind of a man he was to him. "He's the one that sent me my knitting kit!"

Leo smiled in Terra's direction.

"I did tell him about you." Leo told her. "About all of you actually. I don't know if I really was supposed to, but I knew I could trust this man, and I had to talk to someone."

"What did you tell him about us? I hope you didn't forget to add that we've been here for five years, and are _still here_?" Kefka asked in a sarcastic tone.

Leo glanced over him.

"Actually, that's why I had to tell him about you. That was who I asked about your release."

Hopeful eyes turned in Leo's direction from both of the girls, hoping Leo would somehow bear them good news of a departure in the near future. Kefka only scoffed. Leo glanced over at him.

"So, that's why you stayed away, is it? Because you came to bring us bad news that we're not getting out of here anytime soon? Or worse – never?"

Leo's mouth gaped open in shock, then closed it again.

"Kefka, I don't know what's gotten into you. I don't know why you're so against me right now, but no. Absolutely not. That is _not_ why I hadn't come sooner. If you must know, it was because General Nicodemus asked if I would accompany him on holiday in Narshe."

Kefka winded a small lock of long blonde hair around his finger, hair that was far too long and was frayed at the ends in need of trimming, watching Leo carefully. He was quite angry with him, and was trying to refrain from letting too much of that anger loose.

"So, why didn't you refuse? Why didn't you tell him that you had already promised what you used to call _family_ that you'd return for the holidays? I mean, come on. He's only a colleague, why didn't you refuse him? Was he seriously _more _important than us? But never mind, don't answer that. I don't want to hear your answer. It'll only hurt me more." Kefka said.

"No, you don't understand." He shrugged in frustration, looking over at the girls helplessly. "It's not that I didn't want to come, I didn't really have a choice! When you get invited like that – No, it wasn't only a mere invitation, but a request, you can't just refuse something like that from a general!"

"Oh, I forgot they were almost as important as Emperors." Kefka said sarcastically.

Leo stood up and went over to him.

"I'm trying to set up my life." Leo said through gritted teeth. "Don't you understand? Don't you understand that I've been locked away for so long that I've got to start entirely over? No one knows my name anymore, or my father's name for that matter! I must start all over to build a reputation to the Christophe name, to complete what my father had been trying to do!"

"At what cost, Leo! At what cost!" Kefka shouted desperately at him, his voice cracking as though he might cry. "You're trying to set up your life, but what about ours? We're still here! We haven't left even though you have! We're _sick _of being here, Leo, and there's nothing we can do about it! We've poked and prodded Cid as far as we could, we ventured into the facility to ask help from the Espers. We've done everything we could from inside these walls, and nothing has helped us. Now you come to me, telling me that your reputation is more important than our lives? You were like my brother, Leo! I can't believe that you would do something like this to me, to _us_!"

Leo stared at him, lost for words. These were all things Leo had never thought of before. He was convinced that what he was doing was for all of them, not just himself. He hadn't thought of himself as being selfish, but the way that Kefka made it sound, it made him worse than even the Emperor himself. Sacrificing the lives of his own siblings for reputation and fame.

Leo was not an evil man, in fact his heart was quite pure. Pure, innocent and naïve, these things were Leo's downfalls, only he was too deep in these things to see it.

Leo recollected himself and spoke to Kefka calmly.

"Look, I'm sorry that you're upset. Really, Kefka, I am. You speak as if you've lost me."

"I _have _lost you." Kefka muttered bitterly under his breath.

Leo pretended as if he hadn't heard him.

"But I promise you that I'm doing the best that I can."

"It's not good enough."

"I'm not going to stop here, I'm going to talk to the Prime Minister next. He knows more about your situation, maybe I can work something out with him."

"You'll do it only when you have a spare moment, I'm sure."

"By the way," Celes broke into the two boys' argument. "What did that general guy have to say that you spoke with?"

Leo broke his attention away from Kefka and focused on Celes, her soft blonde locks falling in waves down her back from being put in curlers overnight.

"I told him about all of you, and believe it or not he'd never even heard of any of it! He was certainly surprised that the Empire was keeping children locked up in the magitek research facility. Thought that totally uncharacteristic of a government of any sort to be doing something such as this. I begged him to keep quiet about it, and he agreed. But unfortunately, since he didn't know anything about all this, he couldn't do anything to help me get you out of here." Leo couldn't help but notice the disappointment printed on her face so he went to add quickly. "But I've already decided I'm going to talk with the Prime Minister. He was the one that arranged our stay, so he's got to know more than General Nicodemus did. I'll find out why you're here and how much longer they're planning on keeping you."

"That's a start." Terra admitted. "But what if he doesn't tell you? Or what if they still want to keep us for a long time?"

Leo remained silent a moment before responding, as if thinking up good excuses for her questions.

"It won't come to that, Terra. I'll just force the issue, that's all. You all have been in here long enough, it's time they let you go now. I don't know what this was all about to begin with, but it's over. I won't let them keep you here anymore, I promise."

The promise stuck to Terra like putty would stick to carpet. She wanted to believe him. She really, truly did, but at this point it seemed impossible to. Too many promises had been made to them and broken. Was this just another empty promise that couldn't be kept?

The rest of their visit remained cheery, yet strained. Kefka would no longer speak with Leo, and would only shoot him dirty looks if Leo addressed him. Celes was probably the only one having a good time. Showing Leo all the things she had gotten for Christmas and showing off her bunny Cid had given her.

"How adorable!" Leo exclaimed, taking the bunny delicately from her arms. "What's his name?"

Celes giggled.

"_Her_ name," She corrected. "And I don't know yet, I couldn't think of one."

"Well, the rabbit's gotta have a name, don't you?" He said, rubbing the bunny under its ear. "Hmm, a name for a rabbit. How about 'the white rabbit'?"

Celes laughed and shook her head.

"How about something more original?" She suggested.

"Furball?" Kefka suggested coolly.

Celes threw a candy cane at him, only to miss him by several inches.

"It should be something really nice." Terra said thoughtfully. "Something that would really mean something."

"Named after someone perhaps?" Leo said.

"But, who have we known that's worth naming her after? Not Belle, I don't like the name, although it was my mother's." Celes said in dismay.

"Oh, I know! How about Rochelle? Rochelle was always so good and nice to us, it's only fitting that we name it after her." Terra suggested. "Especially after what she had tried to do for us."

"Yes, yes we should do that." Celes agreed, looking down at the furry creature resting in Leo's arms. "Rochelle will be her name."

**Author's Note:**

This is one of the final chapters within the confinements of the tower, where the story will move onto bigger, darker things. I plan for the story to go on to the beginning of the game, and then I'm considering possibly continuing this semi-alternate FFVI universe into a separate fanfic. If I do end up writing it, it'll be based on events that happen throughout the game, only ones that either doesn't hold a lot of significance or events that you don't see in the game/probably don't really exist. With a major focus on the Empire, and of course some of my favorite characters: Kefka, Terra, Leo and Celes. With some Locke and other misc. characters added in ;)

But! This story has much to go still. In this chapter I was trying to bring to light the naivety and ignorance Leo has to the other children's situation, and to the Empire's evil plots in general. Throughout the game, Leo is quite obviously being used, as he wasn't being paid to hurt people intentionally. Leo appears to be a kind, just man with a thoughtful heart, not wanting to harm others unless it was absolutely necessary. In order to have done what he did, he must've been lied to and deceived to much by Gestahl. In this chapter, it shows how ignorant Leo really is to the children he once considered as family, and how unintentionally he is being ripped apart from them. A short chapter, yet I found it to be a necessary one.

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Hope you enjoy!


	15. General Inspection

**Chapter Fifteen: General Inspection**

Leo had left almost as quickly and suddenly as he arrived. He stayed the weekend with them then left on Monday morning, saying that he would've loved to stay longer but would've missed rather important training.

"Personally, I think he worships that general of his a bit too much." Kefka drawled to Terra and Celes once Leo had left.

During most of the visit, Leo kept saying "General Nicodemus this" and "General Nicodemus that" until Kefka came to the point of nearly hating this general, even though he hadn't even met him yet. He stole their Leo away, brainwashing him to thinking his status was more important than them, and Kefka would never be able to forgive him for it. Not that he could ever forgive Leo either. He was too gullible, when he should've seen through it to begin with. With Leo's help, Kefka was convinced that they could've left years ago. But no, Leo was too stubborn. Believing in these people that only wanted to use them for their own gain. Kefka had seen through them, why couldn't Leo? No, he could never, ever forgive him. The pain of him betraying them was greater still than the pain he experienced of losing his best friend and brother, as Kefka had indeed considered him as a brother up until this point. But never again. No…

It was one sunny afternoon, one that wasn't particularly chilly as it had been the past few days. January had arrived, and the sunlight and warmer temperatures were beginning to melt away the long-lasting snow that had been covering up Vector since the beginning of December. Terra loved the snow, particularly playing in it, and was sad she missed her opportunity that night that her and Kefka had been out.

"We'll go again before winter's over." Kefka promised her. "And once we get out of here – which'll be really soon, you'll get to see many, many winters and play in the snow as much as you would like."

This thought overjoyed her, and filled her with a hope that she had long since forgotten.

This afternoon Terra was sitting in the playroom, on the floor attempting to knit. Celes had shown her how the day after Christmas, but Terra was having a hard time fighting it, especially during the purling process. She couldn't get the needle through and either ended up ripping the yarn, or knocking the stitches off the needle each time she tried it. At this point she was quite frustrated, and especially frustrated when Celes' bunny would get curious and mess up her wound up ball of yarn.

"Keep her away!" She hollered, shoving the ball away from the bunny for the umpteenth time. "She's not a cat, why is she so interested in balls?"

"She's just _bored_." Celes insisted, picking up her bunny tenderly as though Terra had abused her. "And you're doing something cool that she's interested in. You can't blame her."

"Almost." Terra muttered, drawing in a deep breath.

Just then Cid burst through the door, more frazzled than Terra and Celes had ever seen him, even more than the time when he caught Terra and Kefka freeing Espers!

"Hurry! Quick!" He said, dashing around the room like the devil himself was after him. He threw random things in the toy-box, whether they belonged there or not, and closed curtains, knocking one rod to the floor in his haste.

All Terra and Celes could do was stare at the man, wondering if he had gone mad and what he was trying to hurry and accomplish.

Kefka came at the door too to see what all the fuss was about. He scratched his head in bewilderment as Cid then began to sweep up dust and leave it under the table.

"What's –?" Kefka began to say, but noticed Cid was too busy to hear or notice him, as he continued to dash about, muttering to himself that he "forgot it was today.".

"What's today? What's wrong?" Celes asked him concernedly, as Terra stood up and got the notion to help Cid clean up. For whatever reason, the mess seemed to be a source to Cid's problem.

"The General –" Cid said breathlessly, pausing a moment to survey the room. "General Zertanik – The Emperor's most trusted general – is coming here this afternoon to inspect."

"A General does lab inspections?" Kefka said confusedly. "Now that's pretty strange. Can't he afford an actual—"

"No! Not the facility! You! This place! And I tell you, Zertanik is not a very nice man, not one to undermine. We need to be _perfect_, or he'll run tattling to the Emperor over the slightest thing. He takes pleasure in this, mind you."

"Okay, so we've got to straighten up quick." Terra said, trying to get Cid to realize that it wasn't a big deal and to just calm down, although it had been quite awhile since they'd done any real cleaning and the place didn't look all that decent at the moment. "When's this general coming?"

"NOW!" Cid said, still moving around like a whirlwind, causing more damage than harm. "He's going to be here any minute! I'm just hoping he'll lose his way in this monstrous facility of mine and take awhile to get over here. But he's rather punctual, and bound to show up any time now!"

"Sorry for asking this, Cid." Kefka asked him slowly, taking his hair down to smooth it with his hands. "But if you had forgotten the inspection up until now, how did you just remember it?"

"Because one of his commanders came to me this afternoon and told me that General Zertanik had a very important lunch meeting suddenly come up with an ambassador of Doma, and he'd be an hour late! Thank God for that, or I'd have been terribly, terribly surprised when that man would show up at my door."

Kefka shook his head. Leave it to Cid to forget something so important such as this. Sometimes he wondered how on earth this man managed to be the head of such an important organization, and why the Emperor allowed him to even have such authority at all.

"Don't worry about this room, I'll clean it up." Cid told them, shooing Celes off the floor. "You guys go on and get yourselves ready. It's you that he's more interested in anyway."

Kefka nodded, and left the room quickly, the girls close behind him. They hadn't been in their rooms for more than three minutes when the door to their hall opened and in stepped a man that they had never seen before, but knew in an instant that he was one of the Emperor's generals due to his uniform. All soldiers wore red and black; the uniforms of the generals however were slightly off from those of a lower class. The differences would vary, but generally they wore longer capes, their clothing would have golden trim, and if they were really fancy enough they'd wear a hat – but the one difference which always set aside a general from a soldier that Terra had learned to recognize from a young age was the golden emblem upon their chest. For some reason, it was a symbol that Terra had begun to fear, and she couldn't even begin to describe why.

General Zertanik first caught Terra's eye, who in response nodded and smiled shyly. He nodded respectfully, then his eyes moved over to Cid, who entered the hall quickly upon hearing the door. From what Terra could make of him by mere appearance, he seemed very similar of a man to the Prime Minister Gilfiroyd, only perhaps a time or two worse, depending on what he thought of them. At least the Prime Minister back in the day seemed fond of them. General Zertanik looked as if he couldn't give a damn to even be there.

"Ah, hello there, General Zertanik. I'm glad you – er, found your way." Cid said, hesitating.

"The pleasure is mine, Professor, as always." Zertanik said with an icy smile, with a slight bow to Cid. He was a smooth talker, Terra could discern that instantly. Smooth talkers always sent fear in her, as normally, smooth talkers had a reason for speaking smooth – they were often feared at being good to getting people to do what they wanted.

Zertanik then eyed Terra, and Celes coming from the door behind her.

"Ah, and these must be the children that the Emperor has kept hidden and protected for all these years." He said with his false smile.

Cid leaned closer and whispered. "Ex-may on the hidden."

Terra frowned, what was that supposed to mean?

Zertanik's eyes lit up.

"What? They aren't aware –? Well, no matter. How do you do, ladies? I am General Zertanik, I work directly under Emperor Gestahl. He's sent me to see how you all were fairing. Which seems well, from the looks of things."

He held out a hand to shake Terra and Celes', then began looking around the hall, whether for mess or something more, Terra wasn't sure.

"Didn't you say there was another living with them as well? A boy if I recall?" Zertanik asked, frowning over at Cid, who jumped startled at being addressed.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah! He's in here. I'll get him." Cid said, barging into Kefka's room without even bothering to knock.

Zertanik rolled his eyes, which only Terra happened to catch him doing so. He immediately straightened himself up as Cid returned with Kefka behind him. He'd changed clothes, and Terra thought he'd possibly shaved too since he smelt of shaving cream – which she found odd, as he already had that morning. He was a freak when it came to hair growing anywhere on his face. The slightest whisker and he'd remove it instantly – something that made Leo crack up, who didn't mind having a few whiskers every now and again.

"Okay, found him. General, this is Kefka Palazzo. And Kefka, you remember what I told you about General Zertanik right?" Cid said, hoping that Kefka would also remember what Cid had said about the general's characteristics as well, and praying silently that Kefka would behave and not act out brashly.

Kefka nodded and held out a hand to shake his.

"It's very nice to meet you, General Zertanik." He said in a polite tone, almost too polite in Terra's mind.

Zertanik smiled again, only it appeared that this one was out of amusement, not falsehood. Was there something about Kefka which struck him interesting? Challenging maybe?

"Kefka, it is very nice to meet you. The Emperor speaks of you much, you know." He said, shaking his hand and holding it a moment before letting go.

"He does?" Kefka asked, in honest surprise.

Zertanik nodded, then moved on about the hall, talking to Cid and anyone who would listen as he went.

"What a very nice hall that you're reserving them in. I'm impressed to say the least. Was this the one that the emperor suggested or…" He paused, as though wanting Cid to finish for him.

"Well, the hall he wanted them to have was downstairs, still in this tower. It didn't have a library, and the rooms were rather old so I thought this one would suit them a bit better." Cid admitted.

Zertanik smirked cruelly, as though delighted that he already had caught Cid at doing something he shouldn't have. Terra began to wonder what else wrong Zertanik would find, and worse yet – what he would do with it once he had?

"I see, and does this door have a lock? I came in with no issues at all, but perhaps it locks from the inside? I should think this door ought to have a lock." He glanced over at the girls and smiled. "For privacy purposes."

Terra glared at him, she knew that was not the reason he wanted a lock on that door. He wanted a lock so that the kids wouldn't get out. She started to hate this man, although she barely knew him.

"Yes, yes it has a lock. And it works, too. I'll show you if you insist." Cid offered.

"No, I believe you. I noticed it had a place where you could lock and insert a key." Zertanik said disgruntidly. "But I also noticed that it was unlocked. Shame, Professor. I remember the Emperor explicitly ordering the door to be locked at all times. Shall I expect this to be corrected soon?"

"Yes, General Zertanik, the moment you leave." Cid said solemnly.

"Excellent!" Zertanik said, rubbing his palms together. "Then we should have no problems at all. As long as you're willing to be flexible, that is…"

Zertanik helped himself into the playroom as if he owned the place. It made the hair on the back of Cid's neck stand on end, but he didn't say anything. The kids weren't sure whether to follow along as well, or to stick back and wait until Zertanik got to them again, but decided it be best to follow, as occasionally Zertanik would address one of them as well.

"Oh! Celes…" Cid began to say, he grabbed her arm abruptly and led her out of the room.

Zertanik glanced up, but didn't say anything as he went back to overlooking the room. For a while he went through without saying anything at all, which relieved Terra and Kefka. No news meant good news, so it seemed. Pretty much whenever Zertanik would speak, it was never good. What Zertanik was mostly looking at was not the mess, he seemed as though he couldn't care less about that – but was looking at all the windows, making sure they were locked and no screens were broken (or taken out and put back in.) and that there were no places in the walls that were giving way. It was almost as if this were indeed a prison, and he was an inspector being sure it was all still secure, so that the prisoners couldn't break lose. Terra gripped Kefka's hand tightly, almost painfully, and although she didn't really mean to, she kept finding herself leaning into him for comfort and reassurance. Kefka stroked a finger down her cheek to calm her, but stopped instantly when he noticed Zertanik's eyes linger on them, with an odd expression. He didn't do it after that.

Celes and Cid rejoined them once Zertanik had gotten through looking at the bathroom, and were down to the library.

"How are the rooms set up?" Zertanik asked Cid once he returned.

"Er, what do you mean?" Cid asked hesitantly, not sure on what Zertanik was referring to exactly.

Zertanik sighed loudly in frustration, but his tone remained calm and smooth once he spoke.

"How are the rooms divided among them? And the beds? How many are there?"

"Oh," Cid said. "Leo and Kefka used to share a room, two beds in there. Only now Leo's gone, so Kefka's got the room all to himself except for when Leo comes to stay. And Terra and Celes have their own room, one bed in there."

"Okay." Zertanik said, almost as in approval, he then added. "Do they have windows in their rooms?"

"Uh, yes, Sir."

"Where are they located?"

"To the left of each their rooms."

"No!" Zertanik said irritably, and this time he couldn't keep the frustration from his tone. "I meant _which _direction are they – what's _below_ them?"

"Oh, sorry. The courtyards." Cid replied.

The general thought this over before proceeding through the remainder of the library and on through to the bedrooms.

"I'm impressed by your housekeeping, ladies." Zertanik said as he checked the windows in the girls' room. "I'd say that you would put my maid to the test."

"Thank you, sir." Celes said, fidgeting with her hands.

Terra couldn't help but notice that Celes seemed particularly tense, almost as much as Cid was. She also kept glancing towards the playroom when no one else was looking. She grasped her hand and whispered in her ear while the general was looking through their closet, for who knows what.

"What's the matter with you?"

Celes made a noise as to quiet her, as the general shut the French doors of the closet. Only he paid them the least bit of attention as he checked the walls.

"Rochelle." She whispered back simply.

It then dawned on Terra that perhaps a bunny was not allowed in their part of the facility, only she couldn't imagine why. Unless it perhaps had something to do with their separation from the world, except she didn't see why a bunny would affect anything. Not like it would provide harmful influence. But she figured that was probably why Cid had snatched Celes up back when they were in the playroom, to go grab Rochelle and hide her. Only where could they have put her? Obviously not in their room, Zertanik would've found her by then as he'd searched basically everywhere, except for the drawers. He seemed to allow them all their privacy and not go through their things, thankfully. Celes kept glancing over towards the playroom, but Terra thought that they'd have to be smooth to manage to hide her in there without getting noticed.

They were all quite relieved when he only had the last room left to inspect: Kefka's room. Unfortunately, Kefka hadn't had enough time to put away the rest of his things he had laying all over the floor, and while Zertanik frowned at it, it didn't seem to bother him tremendously. As Terra had noticed previously, it didn't seem to be the mess that concerned him, only the matter of them escaping or doing something wrong. He then turned to them and smiled in that same, chilling manner.

"All appears well, so it seems. How are all of you enjoying your stay here?" He asked them.

For a moment they all remained silent. Naturally the answer he was expecting was "fine", but Terra wanted to tell him more than just fine, she wanted to tell him it had been dreadful, and that they all wanted out of there _now_ and that he needed to arrange it. But by studying him again and remembering his icy mannerism froze the words in Terra's throat and instead was going to give the answer, which he expected. "Fine". This general wasn't one to cross, as she could tell and was warned of. She thought she either ought to wait and hear what Leo found out from speaking with the Prime Minister, or just wait and leave with Kefka's plot. Kefka however responded in a way that Terra had least expected him to.

"Actually, sir. I was hoping I'd get to talk to you about that." He said.

Zertanik looked over to meet his eye with an expression that was unreadable to Terra.

"Yes, of course."

"You see, we've been here an awfully long time. And as well as we've been treated here and provided for by the Emperor, we'd really like to leave. Or at least for part of the time."

Zertanik considered him a moment, until Kefka continued.

"These girls have never been to school before. They deserve to before they're out of it entirely. We've all got our own hopes and dreams, and at this point it's not even a reality to attempt to make these dreams come true. I want to be a scientist –"

"Really? You want to become a scientist?" Zertanik cut off.

There was a moment's pause, then Kefka replied.

"Yes, I really would. I've always been fascinated by science."

"How very interesting." Zertanik said, eyes flickering over towards Cid a moment before looking back into Kefka's deep blue ones. "And what type of _scientist_ is it that you'd like to become?"

Terra didn't know why, but she didn't have a good feeling about this. The smile on Zertanik's face, and the glint in his eye all seemed rather dangerous. She thought Kefka would've understood that and not messed with him. Then again, Kefka often times didn't take a hint when he should have.

"A chemist, sir. Or, I'd love to become Cid's apprentice. He said he was in need of one. That way, I'd still be here, but get to move onward."

Zertanik looked over at Terra and smiled, then back towards Kefka once more.

"But what of Terra and Celes? You'd leave them here while off to settle your own personal affairs? I thought you found Leo to be a bit selfish in doing so, yet you'd pursue to do the very same thing?"

Kefka gave him a cool stare, not intimidated in the least.

"No, they would need to go too. They'd need to go to school, have friends, and live their lives. Besides, I wouldn't be leaving them as Leo had. I'd still be here as Cid's apprentice."

"Then, tell me Kefka. Why do you suppose the Emperor has had you here all this time to merely let you all go now? Do you not believe there was a reason behind it? Come now, the rumor of your intelligence has even reached me, surely you must've realized by now that there is more to it than just you living here for the time being meaninglessly." Zertanik said.

Cid cleared his throat, hoping to get Zertanik's attention, or to hopefully silence him, but Zertanik paid him no heed. Terra began to wonder if he was hard of hearing, if only he didn't speak in almost a whisper most of the time she would've insisted of it.

"To be honest with you, I've tried to figure it out and cannot." Kefka admitted. "If you'd tell me, I'd really appreciate it. It would help make a lot more sense of the situation."

"I'm surprised, I really thought you'd know by now, as it's really quite obvious." He said, with a wry grin. He then turned to Cid. "You've passed this time… _But barely_. Lock this door, keep the key hidden at all times, and I'd suggest restrict the time that these children spend with one another. Terra and Kefka are too close. I don't like it."

Cid frowned.

"But General, I must ask you… How am I supposed to restrict their time together when they're _here,_ and only here?"

"Get separate halls for them then." Zertanik snapped, his air of coolness fading, being replaced by pure venom and an odd tone of impatience. "This is unacceptable. We don't know what's going on in here behind our backs when this door is locked. I've heard rumors of this boy—"

"If you're trying to say Terra and I are dangerous being together, you're wrong." Kefka broke in, catching Zertanik by surprise at being interrupted. "I love Terra as a sister, nothing more. I'd never do anything to her."

Zertanik smiled again, walking over to them and addressing Terra this time, rubbing a finger down her cheek. His touch sent chills down Terra's spine.

"But you are quite a lovely. Please tell me honestly, dear. Have you ever felt uncomfortable or – threatened around him?"

Terra was quite shocked the man would even ask her such a thing.

"No." She said quickly, backing up away from him, away from his hand.

He laughed, but not in a kind way.

"How naïve, and purely obedient. I see that he means something to you?"

"They've always been close." Cid interrupted, Terra forever grateful for doing so. "Ever since they came here. And Lady Rochelle told me that he's been fond of her ever since she was a baby."

"Hmm, fondness… For her abilities perhaps? To use her?"

Kefka's mouth gaped open.

"What are you saying? I'd never want Terra for power! I know what she can do, but I don't care! That's not why I like her! I hadn't even _known _she could do all that up until recently." He said in astonishment.

The general shrugged impatiently.

"Well, who _doesn't _want to use her for her abilities?" He then turned to Cid. "I'm through here, but I want to see an improvement before I return or we're going to have to refer to plan b of this operation."

Terra couldn't be sure, but she could've sworn she saw Cid shiver at these words.

"Yes, yes General Zertanik."

"Very well. Good day to you all."

Just then, at the worst possibly moment, something white and fluffy in the corner of Terra's eye caught her attention. She wanted to close her eyes in horror as Rochelle, Celes' bunny, went right up to the general and began sniffing his boots. Zertanik frowned down in disgust.

"And _what _is this?" He asked, looking as though the rabbit were venomous.

"Uh, a Christmas present. No trouble, really." Cid said quickly, picking up the bunny and letting her into the girls' room, hoping the general would forget about it just as suddenly as it had arrived, but soon realized he'd have no such luck.

"Was this _allowed_ by his Excellency?" He asked sharply.

"Well, no sir. I never directly asked, you see. I figured it would do no harm."

Zertanik stared sharply at Cid, then at the rest of them.

"I'm slightly disappointed by you, Professor. This was not what I was hoping, or expecting to find. You should know that the Emperor has much faith in you."

Cid said nothing, nor did Zertanik. Terra only prayed that the man would leave, and soon before he could find anything else wrong with them. He then caught Terra's eye and walked over to her, taking her hand in his.

"It was most lovely to meet you, dear." He said, with his false cool mannerism and smile. "I do expect we'll be seeing much more of each other in the near future. I greatly anticipate it."

Terra hoped they wouldn't see anything of each other in the near future, but of course she didn't voice this. She merely nodded.

"Nice meeting you, too." She said in response.

Zertanik pretty much overlooked Celes entirely, as he never addressed her specifically or asked her any questions.

He handed Cid a paper, told him that the Emperor would like a response as soon as possible, bid them one last farewell, and left the tower.

Cid ripped the paper into pieces, to all of the children's astonishment, then crumbled them up and threw them in the trash can.

"Damn him." He said under his breath. "He's the worse that you can get."

"Is the Emperor that he's so fond of – better, I hope?" Celes asked him nervously, taking his hand.

Cid put an arm around her, then glancing over at Terra and Kefka bitterly.

"I don't really know him, Celes." Cid said quietly. "I used to think so. But now, I don't even really know anymore."


	16. To The Imperial Palace, Once Again

**Chapter Sixteen: To the Imperial Palace, Once Again**

"That went over bad, didn't it?" Terra asked Kefka as the three of them silently returned to the playroom, sitting in the middle of the floor.

Kefka didn't answer, but bleakly stared at the floor as he ran his fingers through his hair. Celes sighed.

"I hope they don't make me get rid of Rochelle." She rubbed her cheek against the plush fur of her beloved bunny. "I don't know what I'd do without her!"

"I just hope they don't separate us." Kefka said quietly. "It certainly seemed like Zertanik wanted to."

"But he won't – will he?" Terra asked hopefully, wanting to hear something reassuring after all the negativity of their afternoon inspection.

No one answered her. No one had an answer. All they could do was hope.

A short while later, Celes left the room to go brush her bunny's fur for the fourth time that day. The room held a bitter, sorrowful silence until Kefka broke it abruptly.

"I'm sorry."

Terra looked over at him distractedly.

"What are you sorry for?" She asked him.

He shrugged, as though not really wanting to say what he was about to.

"I'm sorry if some of what he said might be true. I never mean to make you feel… _uncomfortable_."

Terra averted her eyes from him, feeling uncomfortable from him making this statement.

"I told him the truth." Terra said finally. "You don't make me feel uncomfortable. You never have."

Kefka sighed, only Terra wasn't sure that it was out of relief.

"I've always been drawn to you, but not in the ways that general thought. You know that, don't you?"

With the odd tone that he said it in and with the way he kept averting his eyes from hers, she felt that it was more of a reassurance to himself rather than trying to convince her.

"Yes, of course I know that, Kefka."

"Good. That's all that matters, then."

She considered him for a moment. For some reason, the thought never occurred to her that he'd see her as anything other than his sister. They had known each other since as long as she could remember. She was still in diapers at the time! He had always treated her with such affection, and with such love and care; she had thought nothing of it that since they had gotten older that he treats her the same way. It never occurred to her that many people thought that the way he was with her seemed inappropriate. Terra never felt awkward or uncomfortable around him, thinking that he saw her in no way differently than he ever had. The awareness of the thought brought color to her cheeks, but she didn't express her embarrassment of it.

It had been nearly a week later, and fresh snow had fallen upon Vector. After much begging and pleading from Terra, Kefka was convinced that they ought to venture outdoors again and get the opportunity to play in the snow at least once that winter.

Terra had the time of her life. Although she was freezing cold to the bone, she hadn't been happier in years. Well, except for the night they had gone out for ice cream – that shared nearly the same amount of excitement.

They went a short ways from the facility, as they didn't want to leave a mess of the snow nearby in fear of someone realizing someone had been out there playing in it. They had gone a short ways past the iron gate and to the outskirts of the city, just far enough from the facility, and far enough from the city so as not to draw too much attention to themselves. A few people glanced over at them a time or two – as it wasn't a common thing to find two teens squealing and playing in the snow at midnight. But no one thought to report them, which they were forever grateful for.

They had snowball fights, made snow angels, and even built a snowman.

"Next time we should try skating on the pond over there." Kefka said, pointing to a rather large pond not too far away. It would've probably only taken a 7-8 minute walk to get there, taking into consideration the extra time it would take to tread across the icy walkway and the snow. Terra nodded.

"Yes, I'd like that."

Kefka smiled down at her, taking her freezing cold hand in his as they walked up the sidewalk to the facility, to return to their prison that he hated with such a passion. How much he longed to leave and never return. He knew they could handle it, but the risk of them getting caught would always remain a threat. Always having to live in hiding. Kefka didn't want to have that. They wouldn't be able to live by their real names, and would always have to sneak around. Terra would always be an eyesore with her green hair – there were many troubles that came into play in their escape, things that he had never considered to be an issue before. They'd have to leave Vector. That much was for certain. If they were careful, they could probably hide away in another city. But the question that ate at him most was if they were indeed caught, what would be done with them? Would they take Terra and Celes away from him for good? General Zertanik already wanted to do that, and Kefka personally thought that without Terra, he just might die.

She was his inspiration to live, after all.

They slipped back into the facility silently and unnoticed. Celes was a deep sleeper, thankfully. She never seemed to notice when they had gone out, or if she had she never told Terra of it.

It was some time later when Cid came to their hall, the queerest expression upon his face, with a letter of some sort tightly clenched in his fist. Fear struck Terra painfully as she studied him. Whatever news he brought, she knew it couldn't be good.

"Hi, Cid." Celes greeted warmly, springing up from her seat at the table in the playroom where she had been beading twin bracelets, one for her and one for Terra.

Cid didn't smile or return the greeting, but seemed to ignore all of them as he pulled out a chair at the table, collapsing in it. He set the paper down, then put his face in his hands.

"Why, oh why…" He said, more to himself than to anyone. "Why did I let this happen?"

All they could do was watch him anxiously, as the man was for some reason mourning over a mistake that could most likely not be corrected.

"What did you let happen?" Kefka asked sharply. He was now to the point of losing patience with Cid and the entire Empire. Only a week ago, Cid had regrettably locked the door to their hall, pleading with the kids to forgive him for doing it, saying he had no choice. Zertanik reported it to the Emperor, and now Cid had to conform to the rules.

Cid then looked up, finally seeming to realize that they were in the room.

"Nothing, nothing. Forget I said it."

They looked at him with puzzled expressions. Obviously they couldn't forget something like that so easily.

Cid straightened himself up, smoothing down the paper that he had brought in.

"I just want you all to know, that I have loved having you in my company."

The three of them exchanged awkward glances. Cid then went on.

"I know you probably don't feel the same, but it's really meant a lot to me. I never had any little ones of my own, and always thought I'd be missing out on something if I didn't. Well, I was right. It's been a real great honor to get to know each and every one of you."

Celes spoke first, perhaps because she was the only one that had feelings for Cid, or perhaps because she was the only one who managed to collect herself enough to speak first.

"It has been wonderful to get to know you too, Cid. I'm sure we all feel that way." Celes looked over at Terra and Kefka expectantly, giving them a piercing look as if to agree – or else.

Kefka and Terra nodded begrudgingly, causing Cid to beam at them.

"Despite everything I've done to you – you kids still care. Unbelievable, really. I want you to know too… That, well, everything that's been done to you all… Wasn't me. If I got my way, you'd still be in school, live in different parts of the facility, be free to go wherever you'd want to go, have friends, and Kefka, you'd be my personal apprentice in my lab." Cid smiled over at him. "But, I guess the truth is, I didn't have my way. This was the Emperor's way, and his way wasn't pretty. Still isn't, mind you. All I can hope, and pray, was this was the worst of it. I hope that the struggle and turmoil of all his plans will affect you no more. But anyway, enough said. The Emperor has requested you all to dine with him this evening, at seven o' clock sharp. I'll be coming too, of course."

"Dine with _him_?" Celes asked in a tiny voice. "With the Emperor himself?"

Cid nodded.

"That's what I've been told."

"In the palace?" Kefka asked incredulously.

"In his banquet hall, no doubt." Cid said begrudgingly.

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Terra asked confusedly. "I mean, if the Emperor wants us to come to dinner with him, then surely he means to discuss things with us-?"

"You'll see at dinner this evening." Cid replied shortly. "I'm sure he'll explain everything to you - or at least in the way that he wants you to hear it."

Terra pondered over Cid's words much that afternoon as she prepared herself for dinner at the palace. She really didn't know what to expect, she hadn't ever been to a formal dinner such as this before, with the Emperor himself no doubt! She wanted to dress her utmost best, but of course her things were only as nice as Cid had purchased her, nothing that she owned was of great extravagance. She finally selected the velvet dress that she had worn on Christmas day, made of deep green with golden sequins and a taffeta ribbon at the waist. She looked long and deep at her reflection in the mirror. The green in the dress brought out the green in her eyes. She carefully fastened the silver locket that she had owned ever since she was five. Rochelle had given it to her upon leaving the palace, and enclosed was a tiny photo taken of the four of them so long ago. At times she would look longingly at the small picture, with it bringing both joy and sadness to her heart. How she missed those times. She missed Leo being his old friendly, cheery self, which now was so distant and far-removed from them all. She missed Celes being more her sister rather than her competitor when it came to Cid and Leo's attention. Kefka was really the only one that hadn't changed. He had always been close to her, and still was. Terra wondered if he thought that _she _changed over the years, or if he felt the same waythat she had.

Terra heard a noise behind her, which made her glance back over at the door. Kefka was standing there, with the oddest expression on his face. Terra blushed. How long had he been standing there watching her?

"Hello," She said awkwardly, trying to cover up her inner feelings. She hadn't meant for it to bother her, but lately she had suddenly become aware of her female differences from him, and the innocence of her childhood was slowly fading from her. Mentally as well as physically_._

"Hi, Terra." He smiled at her. "That dress looks lovely on you."

Terra didn't know how to answer him. Instead of trying, she changed the subject, praying that he wouldn't notice her awkwardness, and that her blush was fading away.

"What do you think the Emperor wants with us?"

Kefka walked over to Terra, hesitating before answering.

"I don't reckon it's good."

He took the brush from Terra's hand, and began brushing through her wavy locks of seafoam hair. How he had loved her hair. He had always treasured it, even when she was a young child. Now it had only manifested in loveliness. Apart of him just wanted to put her hair to his face, to breathe in deeply of it's scent, but he resisted this desire. He knew Terra would think him a total nutcase.

"Cid was too uncomfortable to make it sound as if it were any good."

"He made it sound like a bad thing." Terra said, enjoying the feeling of having her hair brushed delicately and slowly. "But surely, if he wants to talk with us, it means he's going to let us go, right?"

"I would think so." Kefka said indifferently.

"What could be wrong in that?"

"Terra," He stopped brushing and Terra turned around to face him, her back now to the mirror. "So far the Emperor has done many cruel things. Locked us up, took Leo away. Like General Zertanik had said, he didn't keep us locked up here for nothing, there was a purpose. I just wonder what that purpose is. From what Cid had said, it didn't sound good. I don't think he's going to just let us go. Not at all."

"He's keeping me for my powers." Terra said quietly. "I just know it. I'd be too valuable to him. But why you and Celes?"

Kefka hesitated, wrapping a small lock of Terra's seafoam hair around his finger absentmindedly.

"That's a good question. It would help if I knew if we were random victims, or if we were chosen with purpose. If it were with purpose… Then I don't know. Celes and I are so different, there's no similarity that we have in us at all that the Emperor would be looking for. If we were random, well, I don't know how we play our part, but I'm sure we do. For his benefit, no doubt. I get the feeling that this Emperor has ill intents for society."

Terra remained silent, yet thoughtful of what Kefka had said. So far the Emperor hadn't proven himself exactly trustworthy.

"But why—" She began, but Kefka cut her off.

"I really don't know, Terra. I've tried to make sense of it, but none of it _does_ make sense. I feel trapped, trapped with no options. All I can do is helplessly follow along with their plans, as dirty as they may be. I don't like it either. But Terra, I promise you, that no matter what, we'll stick together."

Terra blinked as he grasped her shoulders, his blue eyes searing deeply into her green ones.

"I won't ever do what Leo did to us. I won't let you be alone. No matter what they have planned."

Terra managed a smile after a moment and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"I thank you." She said quietly_._

Kefka smiled in return, as the two snapped out of their gaze by Celes bursting forth, looking around frantically. She was already dressed, as were Kefka and Terra by then. Her dress was of a deep crimson red, her hair pinned back elegantly and make-up smeared on her face in abundance. Her jewelry was simple, yet against her contrasting pale skin it was striking. Terra felt that beside her, she looked like a peasant girl.

"Have any of you seen my pearl clip?" She asked them.

They both shook their heads. Celes sighed and plopped down on the bed.

"Figures. I've never worn it, but it was given to me for a special occasion – It was my mothers, you see. And now, here's the special occasion and it's gone!"

"Have you tried asking Rochelle?" Kefka asked sardonically. "She has an odd habit of running off with things that are most important."

Celes glared at him.

"No, I didn't. Would you?"

Kefka chuckled to himself, but said no more in argument to Celes. Celes then looked over at Terra with a critical eye.

"How do you plan to do your hair?" She asked her.

Terra shrugged. She really hadn't thought about it until she had seen Celes all done up.

Celes bounced up and made her way over to her, opening one of her drawers and pulling out a container of hair pieces.

"Then, let me see what I can come up with." She told her.

Terra quite willingly let her, as Celes had always been wonderful with fashion whereas Terra paid less attention to it. It didn't really matter to her as much as it did Celes, as long as she looked presentable. But she figured in probably most everyone's eyes she didn't look presentable for the Emperor.

Celes brushed through her hair, as though Kefka hadn't managed to do it well enough, then after much styling and fixing she had Terra's hair looking almost as fabulous as hers. It didn't have quite the same awe as Celes's had, but it was almost equally as nice. Part of it had been pinned up with pearl-headed clips, and the rest had been left down to fall over her shoulders in waves. Kefka clapped his hands together.

"Well, Celes. Looks like your future career has been revealed. Why didn't you tell me that you wanted to be a beautician?" He asked her in a teasing way.

"No, I don't want to be a beautician. I hope to do something much more productive with my life." She replied shortly, as though taking offense to Kefka's statement.

"You know, Celes." Kefka said. "I've never asked you what you wanted to do with you life."

Celes snorted.

"Like you'd care to hear it."

"No, no. Really." He insisted. "What _do _you want?"

Celes considered him a moment critically, checking to see if he truly meant what he said or if he were simply mocking her, but his expression appeared to be sincere so she told him.

"To be honest, I want to be a doctor. I want to help people, I think. Don't ask me what kind, I don't know. But I want to be a doctor that can afford a nice house in a large city somewhere, and to be surrounded by animals and a family. That's what I want. What do _you _want, Kefka?"

Kefka hesitated. At this point in time, he really didn't know what he wanted. He had such conflicting emotions when it came to that, and it somewhat caught his as a surprise to hear what Celes wanted. So simple, so kind. He figured Celes probably wanted to be a fashion model, or something that had to do with fame.

"I don't know anymore." Kefka told her. "If you can believe that."

Celes raised an eyebrow.

"Really? You've never considered what you'd do when you got out of here?"

"Sure, I've considered things, but haven't finalized anything yet."

"You know, that's sort of how I'd picture you." Celes said with a sigh, sitting back on the bed. "Always the free-spirited wanderer, not really belonging anywhere in life, always trying to find where you belong. That wouldn't be productive, Kefka. I hope you don't do that."

Kefka frowned, taking slight offensive to what she said, although he knew she probably meant it harmlessly.

"No, whatever I do, it won't be that."

Cid came into their room upon knocking, dressed in his finest suit.

"Come on, you three." He said gruffly, as though not wanting to be apart of this at all. "We don't want to be late, so we'd better get going now."

Kefka followed Cid out of the room, then Celes. Terra lingered behind momentarily, touching the locket around her throat. Fear began to course through her veins, tensing up at the thought of enduring worse than they already had. She decided to take up what Kefka had said that evening as he brushed her hair and to find comfort in that; _at least she would always have him, regardless of what the Emperor planned to do with her._


	17. Dinner With the Emperor

**Chapter Seventeen: Dinner with the Emperor**

Terra's heart pounded in her chest as they rode in a small carriage on the way to the palace. This hadn't been the first time that she had been out since their arrival, but she wanted to impress upon Cid that it had been. Celes's reaction to the outdoors was positively priceless. Upon stepping out, she stopped and fell to her knees, just looking around in awe, as if forgetting what the outdoors was really like. Looking down at her while doing this, Terra felt sorry for her and regretted that they hadn't taken her out with them during their little outings. They feared Celes would tattle on them, but Terra thought they should've been willing to risk it at least once. Besides, how could she possibly tattle with something so wonderful?

Night had already fallen long before their leave, which spared them of prying eyes, but Terra still felt uneasy in her seat as she glanced out the window. To her, she still felt as though she were being watched. She felt a warm gloved hand grasp her cold bare one. She looked up at Kefka sitting across from her, and could tell he was smiling at her in the darkness.

"Don't be so nervous, everything'll be fine." He reassured her.

Terra knew that it wouldn't be. Nothing worked that way, it seemed.

"Yes, just behave yourself and all will be well. _All of you._" Cid said, directing his words more so to Kefka than the girls.

To Terra's right sat Celes, who was nearly as fidgety and jumpy as herself. With her free hand, she grabbed Celes's arm to comfort her.

"At least we're all doing this together?" She tried to reason.

Celes tried to smile, as though pretending none of this really bothered her, although Terra could see through the bitter smile that only was a façade. She knew the girl too well. There was pretty much nothing that she could hide.

After what seemed like forever although it had probably been no more than twenty minutes, their carriage pulled to a halt, and the driver opened the carriage door for them.

"We have arrived, sir." The young driver said.

"Thanks, here you are." Cid said, dropping some coins halphazardly into the man's hand without paying much attention to the amount. It must've not been less than what he charged, for the driver pocketed it quickly and bid them farewell. They had gone into town to rent the carriage, which Terra was grateful for. She didn't much want to walk out in the bitter cold of the evening.

Memories began to flood through Terra like a river as they walked up the all too familiar steps leading to the palace, remembering that she had walked up these steps nearly every day five years ago. Looking around at the landscapes. Much of it had changed, yet it still remained with the same feel that she remembered from so long ago. Only it wasn't a warm familiarity, but a cold one that sent a chill down her spine. She had an odd way of predicting bad things to come, and she wasn't happy about it.

Upon arriving at the doors, a guard nodded respectfully towards them. Just as Terra had remembered, only a respectful nod – No soldier or any employee within the palace walls would do more than that. Rarely would she ever see a smile upon a face. No one within the Empire was known for their kindness. She supposed that among themselves they would be friendlier, but Leo had told her stories that they weren't.

"There's too much competition." Leo had explained to her once. "And unfortunately, a lot of soldiers are pitted against each other by their commanders. It's a sad situation, really. If everyone would just give a damn about their colleagues and work together a little more, this Empire would be that much stronger."

Terra smiled to herself upon thinking of Leo's words. That's the Leo that she knew, always trying to get everyone to co-operate, like he used to do back when he was still living with all of them. She wondered if they would perhaps stumble upon him during their stay – although she rather doubted it. The Emperor had tried so hard to keep their existence a secret up until then, she doubted that he'd be clumsy with them at that point to just let them wander about freely, and meet every soldier they could.

"Good evening, just following up with the Emperor. His orders." Cid told the guard rather vaguely. Terra assumed he probably wasn't allowed to give much information to the guards.

"I see, what is your name?"

"Cid, Professor Cid. I'm with the research facility."

"Oh," The soldier's eyes widened and the tone of surprise was clearly notable in his voice. "My apologies for not recognizing you, Professor. Yes, please. Right this way."

They passed through the doors with ease, without another glance from the young guard. Once inside, Cid began looking for an escort, but couldn't catch anyone's eye to ask. Everyone was all too preoccupied with what they were doing, or purposely didn't want to look over lest they have to get involved. Terra thought the behavior to be quite selfish, Cid found it merely to be annoying. He finally grabbed the arm of a soldier who looked no older than sixteen and turned him around to face him.

"Excuse me, could you point me in the direction of the Emperor?" Cid asked him.

The soldier stared at Cid blankly a moment before responding.

"I'm sorry, I'm only a trainee. You could ask that General over there, though. He'd probably know."

Terra could not believe her eyes, and wanted to hide behind the nearest vase. It was General Zertanik, and only a few feet away from them too! She absolutely hated that man. Their lives had been fine until he showed up to ruin it. The problem was he didn't care – but seemed to quite enjoy it. She silently prayed that Cid hated him just as much as she did, and would look around for someone else, but Zertanik had already spotted them and smiled broadly, making his way over to them.

"Hello, Professor. Long time no see." He said, holding out a hand to shake his. He then looked around the professor and spotted Terra. He smiled at her in that same false manner.

"And hello, my dear. I thought I'd be seeing you again soon."

The chill in his words caused Terra to fight off shivering. She merely nodded.

"Good evening, General."

"How respectful you are!" He said, running a finger down her cheek, in a matter so very different than Kefka. "I like respectful, young women such as yourself. You will make a lovely addition to our Empire. Yes, yes. I know you will."

Cid cleared his throat, as to remind the all-easily distractible general that he was still there.

"Do you know where I can find Emperor Gestahl?" He asked.

"The Emperor?" Zertanik said dreamily, as though not really registering his words, but looked far off into bleak nothingness, as though deep in thought.

"Yes, we're supposed to be meeting him for dinner."

"Oh! Yes, yes. Of course you are. The Emperor has been expecting you." He broke his gaze away and snapped it back in Cid's direction. "Come, follow me."

As they did so, Terra hoped that he wouldn't decide to join them for dinner.

They followed him along a set of stairs and through a few corridors, each one with finer décor than the last, until they reached a set of double doors that led directly into the banquet hall.

Emperor Gestahl sat at the head of the table, with a man that Terra recognized from somewhere sitting to his right. It took her a moment to register that it was the Prime Minister!

"Your Excellency." Cid said with a slight bow.

The others found it advisable to do the same. The Emperor greeted Cid warmly, then at last addressed the other three.

"My goodness, how such a short matter of time can change a child! But the three of you barely look like children now, instead you appear more like young adults. Just the way I'd hoped you'd be."

It took all of Terra's willpower to change her expression from a glare to a grimace of a smile. Zertanik seemed to have noticed, for he appeared instantly at her side and offered her his arm.

"May I escort you?" He asked her, still smiling.

Terra reluctantly allowed him, not wanting to create a spectacle so shortly after they arrived. Zertanik pulled out a chair a few seats away from the Emperor's left, and she sat down in it, smoothing the skirt of her dress as she did so. He pushed it in, then walked over to the Emperor, without even looking in Celes's direction even though he ought to have offered her the same. For a moment, Terra wondered why he seemed so particularly interested in her, but then realized he must know what she was. That must've been what sparked his interest in her. Since their first meeting he paid little to no attention to the others, but focused all on Terra, and had tried to be overly nice to her. She wondered what it was he wanted from her. Merely just her friendship? But that didn't make any sense.

The other three took seats. Kefka sitting beside Terra, with Celes sitting on Kefka's other side. Cid sat beside the Emperor, and quite gratefully, Zertanik began to make his leave!

"It's with much regret that I couldn't stay." He told them.

Terra forced herself to smile.

"It's okay, I'm sure you have rather important things awaiting you." She said, trying not to sound too happy.

Zertanik returned this smile.

"Yes… The life of a General, as simple as it may sound, is not an easy one." He then looked over at Cid. "It's a pleasure seeing you again, Professor. As always."

Cid nodded, then Zertanik left the banquet hall.

Emperor Gestahl clapped his hands to get all of their attention.

"Come! Come! Let us begin our dinner! We have much to discuss over the course of this evening. First I would like to address the young lady over there."

Terra reluctantly glanced over, hoping that he wasn't talking about her, but to her relief he wasn't. He was addressing Celes, which caused her to blush a deeper shade than Terra had ever seen her.

"That dress is remarkable. You have wonderful taste, Celes."

Celes smiled shyly, folding her hands in her lap before muttering a quiet "Thank you."

The Emperor smiled at her, then raised his glass as though to propose a toast.

"What shall it be then? To the glory of Vector?" He suggested to Cid.

Cid nodded.

"Yes, that'll do." Cid agreed.

"Excellent! To the glory of Vector, then!" Gestahl said.

The adults drank silently a moment before Gestahl continued.

"I do hope you enjoy this meal. I took a great deal of care to prepare things I thought you might enjoy." He said, addressing the children.

Terra was relieved. She had never met the Emperor up until then, and didn't know what to expect. She feared perhaps he would be something like Zertanik, or the Prime Minister, as that was what he seemed to surround himself with, but in fact he seemed to be quite different from them. Perhaps the Empire wasn't as bad as Terra initially anticipated it.

The meal went on silently, without a word spoken by anyone. Terra admitted the food was delicious – much better than what they usually ate within the tower. It wasn't until they were nearly finished that the Emperor spoke, with a look of worry upon his face.

"Now, it's time for business." He then looked over at Terra. "My dear girl, have you been told about your parents? Do you know what you are?"

Terra nodded solemnly, keeping her eyes down at her plate. She didn't want to see the Emperor's reaction to her knowledge.

"I see," He said slowly. "So then, you are aware of what you can do."

Terra finally looked up to meet the eyes of the Emperor. Her bright green ones met with those of a steel gray, filling her with uncertainty once more.

"Yes, your Excellency." She replied politely.

Emperor Gestahl rubbed his chin, contemplating his next words, as he seemed to choose them slowly, and with great care.

"One such as you would make a fine addition to my Empire, you know. I have a whole army of Magitek armor with no one to lead them. As you've probably seen upon entering the palace for the first time in so long, my men have become heartless and cold. Fine soldiers are a rarity to come by. But you however, you're a fine, strong young woman who would do well to be at one of the leading positions of my Empire. It would take us to a new reign – a new era of justice and peace. Only with you can I bring that among us, I fear. Trust me, I've tried in many various ways, all resulting in greater failure still. I didn't want to bring you into this, but seeing as to how things have evolved, I am afraid I'm going to have to ask you to."

Was he asking her, or ordering her? Terra thought it sounded as though he were trying to sound polite and just, as though he were giving her a choice, but she knew what he was trying to say. He was saying that he was drafting her, whether she liked it or not. If she'd prefer life to go smoother and easier than she ought to agree. That was what he wanted her to do. No, she realized her initial intake on the Emperor was false. She saw that the Emperor seemed rather crafty, without the icy edge that Zertanik and Gilfiroyd could not remove. He was their ruler, after all, so it made sense that he was the best actor of the bunch. She felt cornered and trapped. She didn't know what to say besides yes, although her heart screamed at her not to.

"I'm not sure, sire." Terra said in a small voice that could barely be heard from across the table. "I don't know about being in the military."

The Emperor smiled kindly at her.

"I understand your fear. It seems like a frightening thing to go and join an army where soldiers will fight – and to be honest, some will die. I can guarantee to you though, my dear, that you would not be a soldier that will die. You are too strong, no one could possibly outmatch your magical abilities."

"I don't know how to use my abilities, sire." Terra told him.

"That's only natural, you haven't had the opportunity to practice them yet. But that all will change. You will come back to live in the palace again, like you used to, and be trained by one of my professionals who have been well educated in the realms of magitek. It wouldn't be the same as someone with the gift themselves, but it is the best we can do considering there is no other human out there with the ability to wield such power."

"You mean – I would leave the tower?" She asked.

"But of course!" Gestahl said waving a hand dismissively. "Can't keep you locked up during training, now can I? No, your confinement, which was really more used as a sanctuary, is no longer necessary. You will leave here, of course."

Terra considered this thoughtfully. Then the one thought occurred to her that she had dreaded ever since her incident of using magic for the first time…

"Will I have to – kill people?" She asked in barely more than a whisper.

A silence fell over the already quiet table. All eyes moved towards Gestahl, waiting to see how he would handle this one.

"Terra, my dear child." Gestahl said, folding his hands on the table in front of him. "We do not fight to kill those weaker than us, but we fight for our land. For peace and justice. First, we negotiate. If all else fails, we fight, and then, yes, sometimes my men kill. But I don't take pride in taking lives of those brave soldiers who fall before my men, nor do my soldiers take pride in taking their opponents lives. Wars have been going on for millennia's, my dear, and although many in mankind know it's wrong, and they are detested, they are a necessary thing in the troubled world that we live in today." The Emperor refilled he glass and took a sip.

"But my goal, is to end all of the strife and fighting. To end the long-drug out war that has lasted for far too long between our nations. Vector will become the capital of the world, with the Gestahlian Empire the world's leading nation, and in the near future, I have high hopes of everyone leaning toward our laws rather than their own invented ones from nation to nation. Once that happens, watch the fighting cease. Peace will be attained at last. Something I have dreamed about for far too long, with very little hopes of it coming true. Until, however, I found you. My hopes have been higher than ever, hoping that you'll agree to help me, and that between you and I, we can retain a new era of peace that will last forever."

Terra felt confused, and rather hot and dizzy from listening to the Emperor's speech of world domination and peace. Was his goal ultimate power, or world peace? Or did he hope to attain both? She didn't see how she played a role in any of it. She wondered how one magic user such as herself would be able to change everything? But the thought of them leaving the tower forever was tempting. Oh so tempting. Terra had admitted that she would do almost anything to escape her prison, and this was a ticket out – No hiding, no begging for jobs, no running away. It was all being handed to her, if she only accepted becoming a soldier of the Empire. She convinced herself that maybe it wouldn't be so bad, besides she didn't know what else she would do with her life, anyway.

Slowly, Terra nodded, making Gestahl beam.

"Okay, I'll do it. But – I'm really afraid, I don't want to have to hurt anyone."

"I don't think it will be necessary for you to hurt anyone often." Gestahl said perhaps too hastily. "Don't think about that now. First, rejoice! You will be leaving those dreadful halls of the Magitek Research Facility forever! That will be nice, will it not?"

"Yes, we are looking forward to it." Terra agreed, her heart beginning to settle down as she took a sip of her fruit punch.

The Emperor frowned, leaning forward across the table.

"_We_?"

Terra nearly choked on her fruit punch in horror. She had totally forgotten Celes and Kefka might not have been apart of the deal. He was offering all of this to her, after all. Surely if he was going to release her, then wouldn't he release Celes and Kefka as well? Celes and Kefka couldn't live alone in that hall together. Terra knew that for certain. They'd always fight and bicker, and never get along. Kefka would probably sink into his own little despair again, and who knew what Celes would do with no one. Terra thought this was probably what had happened to Leo. He wanted to leave the tower so badly, and he was offered a job to join the Empire. He probably thought that once he agreed, he'd be able to get them all out, but ended up falling into the trap to forget about them, and live for himself. That was what he was doing, and Terra didn't want to become like him. She also feared what Kefka would think of her if she left. He hated Leo now, would he hate her too? The thought pained Terra severely. She couldn't do it, no matter how much she wanted to. Especially when it was only that night Kefka had promised her that they would always be together. True, it was he that made this promise, but Terra felt obligated to live up to it.

"Y-you mean, they can't come with me?" Terra asked quietly.

The Emperor looked at Celes and Kefka a moment, then tilted his head slightly.

"No, my dear, I just didn't know how you could possibly know about my other business proposition that I was going to offer them."

Gestahl met eyes with Cid, who evaded the Emperor's gaze shamefully. The Emperor then turned to look at Kefka.

"Kefka Palazzo, yes? Leo tells me much of you. I have heard of your legacies as well, you've managed to acquire quite a reputation within the Empire. Especially after breaking into the Esper room in the Research Facility. I must admit that I was very impressed. We've had many thieves attempt to break into that room with no success, except for sounding the alarm and getting themselves caught." Gestahl chuckled softly, his sharp gray eyes meeting Kefka's deep blue ones. "Now, then. How old are you?"

Kefka hesitated, perhaps from feeling insulted by being told that he broke into rooms like a thief, or from the mere pressure of Gestahl's gaze.

"Fifteen, my lord."

"Ah, perfect. What a wonderful age. Now, tell me. I know that Terra means very much to you, and that it would pain you greatly to be apart from her, which rips my own soul thinking about separating two people that are so very close. So, how would you like to join her?" Gestahl asked.

"Yes, I'd like that very much." Kefka said immediately.

"Only, of course you see, I have so many regular soldiers already that it would be over saturation. I'd need you to have a slightly—different position."

"Different position?"

"Yes, I'd need you to be a magitek knight."

Curiosity danced around Kefka's eyes.

"But, sire—You see, I can't use magic. I'm not like her… I'm just an ordinary human."

The Emperor's eyes flashed dangerously as his lips curved into a sly smile.

"No, you can't use magic _yet_, but you see, that is why I need someone like you." Gauging from the confusion on Kefka's face upon the Emperor's words, he continued. "Allow me to explain: You see, Professor Cid has been working on an experiment for me. He has been researching magitek and its properties for years, and as you see, has come up with the magitek armor. But just recently, he has come up with something far greater than magitek armor, far greater than my wildest imaginings – but a magitek knight. To infuse a human with the raw magical properties of an Esper, in result wielding a human with the ability to use magic. Ingenious, isn't it? I thank you Cid, for all of your hard, dedicated work for all these years."

Cid mumbled that it was nothing, and tried to remain as far away from the conversation as possible.

"A human? Be able to use magic?" Kefka asked in both disbelief and awe.

"Yes. But of course, it hasn't been done yet. You would be the first. Can you imagine it? Being first human with the ability to use magic? That would be an opportunity to die for! Everyone would want this chance! But, instead of offering it to everyone, I wanted to offer it to you, seeing as to how close you are to Terra, and that way, you'd always be able to stay by her side. You two would have your training together, and I'd imagine that she could help you along the way. And, not to try to convince you out of anything, Terra, dear." He leaned forward, although he truly wasn't much closer than he had been before. "But I would slightly worry for your friend. Being a girl in the Empire, alone especially, will not be an easy thing for her. I think it would make her life a whole lot easier if she still had you."

Kefka looked over at Terra, and Terra knew what he was thinking. His promise that he made to her, but Terra didn't want him accountable to it now, not after what the Emperor was going to make him go through. The infusion process hadn't been done yet, meaning it hadn't been tested on anyone. It was not foolproof, anything could go wrong, and Terra didn't want him to risk his life just to accompany her. She didn't really need him, after all, although she would miss him terribly. Perhaps she would manage to find Leo, then she wouldn't feel alone at all, unless he flaked out on her to go join his soldier friends – Which after thinking about it, Terra thought he probably would. Terra felt her face flush, she was mad that the Emperor would even ask Kefka, who was still underage, to even think of doing something so risky such as this. It was as if the Emperor had been planning this all along.

Planning…

Terra's mind then began to spin like a whirlwind. It all began to make sense to her! That was why the four of them had been locked away to begin with! For magitek infusions! For a long time Cid had told them that he was working on a way to make magitek last forever, as the infused metal of the armor wouldn't last long. This must've been what he meant, and that must've been why they were being kept. Once Terra had found out that she could use magic, she knew that was why she was being kept there, but she had no idea about why the others were. It then all seemed to fit into place like pieces in a puzzle. She still was not sure why they were confined like they were, but she then began to see the Emperor's plans unraveling themselves from hiding.

"I'll do it." Kefka said firmly.

Terra shot him a glance, wanting to say no for him.

"Kefka—" Terra began, but didn't proceed as the Emperor cut her off.

"That would really be generous of you. I'm sure Terra would appreciate it."

"No—" Terra said, shaking her head, causing everyone to stare at her. "I mean, no, I don't need Kefka there. I'll be fine without him. I don't want him to go through all of that just for me."

Terra grasped his hand under the table, trying to look up into his face to meet his eye, to plead with her expression to not to do this for her. That there would probably be some sort of shady outcome from all of it that the Emperor was hiding, otherwise he wouldn't be testing it out on a child. She knew Gestahl was dishonest, and he was using this dishonesty to his advantage to persuade them of things they normally wouldn't do. But then again, even if her and Kefka refused, she didn't know how much of a choice they had anyway.

Kefka finally looked down at her, offering her a slight smile.

"I know you're tough, and you'd be okay, but I want to stay with you. I promised you, and besides, I'd love to be able to use magic! Can you imagine the possibilities!"

Oh yes, Terra could. She considered the possibility that he might not survive to tell the tale.

The Emperor made no reference to Celes, same as Zertanik had. With the exception of commenting on how lovely she looked, and upon their leave he told her that he hoped she would be happy to live in the research facility until her time came, which she didn't mind all that much. She felt a little left out, since both Leo and Kefka, and then Terra would all be joining the Empire as soldiers.

"Your time will come, Celes. I promise you." Cid told her in the carriage on the way back home.

Celes merely looked sulky out the window, without saying a word to anyone.

They had also been promised that the lock at the end of the hall could be removed forever, and they were then given permission to come and go from the hall as they pleased. Cid had been instructed to do any tests that were necessary on Kefka for the infusion process, and to begin it immediately.

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." Cid said gruffly. "I've never done this before, so I don't know what kind of experience you're going to go through."

"It's okay," Kefka said after a moment's pause of thinking it over. "I've been through a lot, even if it hurts I can endure a little pain for awhile. It's no big deal, really."

Cid shrugged. Apparently he felt that Kefka was taking this all too lightly.

Terra leaned against Kefka's shoulder in the darkness of the carriage, allowing sleep to succumb her. He brushed back her soft waves and ran a finger down her cheek softly, letting it linger there for a moment.

"Kefka, why—" Terra whispered, but Kefka silenced her.

"Because I don't want us to be apart, Terra. I'd do anything for us to stay together." He bent down lower, so that his cheek brushed against hers, so that only Terra could catch his next words. "I knew something like this would happen, it was only a matter of time. This is stage two of their operation, and I want us to face it together. Will you let me, Terra? Will you let me stay by your side?"

Of course, Terra could not refuse this. She kissed his cheek, and she could feel the warmth of his blush despite the cold of the carriage.

"Thank you, Kefka." She whispered. "It means so much to me."

**Author's Note:**

Thank you so much to all of my reviewers, and to those who have read up to this point! I hope I'm taking a positive turn with this story, and that I've managed to cling onto everyone's interest! I always love reviews, so please feel free to leave me one! It helps me so much to know what everyone thinks. I've been given so much helpful advice throughout writing this story, and I appreciate it so much. I've had a great struggle of trying to keep suspense throughout this story, yet giving enough information so as not to leave the reader in confusion. I hope I've managed to achieve this? If anyone could let me know what they thought, I'd be really grateful.

Anyway, hope you continue to enjoy the story!


	18. Fusion Ties

**Chapter Eighteen: Fusion Ties**

Kefka Palazzo thought it would be so cool to be the first and only human to have powers. He would be above all. No more would people look down at him, taunt him or abuse him. He would be superior, and would be feared and awed by all who knew him. It would also make him stand out and be unique. Uniqueness and feared – those were two things that Kefka greatly wanted to portray, but at what cost? To what point would he be willing to go to earn these things? At first, the thought of the infusion seemed minor and not a big deal. He thought it'd be a series of shots, over in an instant, and he'd be on his way to greatness. Slowly, as he signs agreement papers for the procedure, saying that no liability would be held by the research facility or Cid and that all aftermaths would solely be the responsibility of the participant, he realized this was much more serious than he had initially anticipated. Especially after Cid had explained what the procedure would consist of, Kefka was not only scared, but _terrified_. There was no backing out now, though. He knew that. Terra was relying on him, and he'd already agreed that he'd be there for her, so now he just had to do it. He only wished there weren't so many needles involved. He hated needles.

The tests were bad enough. He had to have a lot of blood work done before the infusion procedure even took place, checking his levels constantly for something that he didn't even bother to ask what. He'd been poked so many times, he didn't think there'd be anywhere else to perform the procedure! Terra often times accompanied him during all these tests, which helped and also made it harder all at the same time. When alone, he could gripe at Cid and complain how much he disliked coming there, day after day having his blood drawn, whereas whenever Terra was present he felt much more obligated to keep his mouth shut and put on a straight face about it all. Kefka secretly wondered if perhaps that was why Terra always came with him – Because Cid begged her to so he wouldn't have to listen to him.

Terra was worried sick about him going through the infusion. She never flat out said she was worried, but Kefka could always see it in her eyes. They knew each other far too well by now, and the same way that Kefka could see Terra's worry, she could see his fear, which partly increased her emotion on the matter. Cid seemed confident enough about it all, or at least appeared that way. It was always hard to decipher what Cid was thinking. Kefka sort of gave up trying to years ago.

It was the day of the infusion. Terra sat with Kefka in waiting room. Neither of them spoke. Neither of them knew what words to say. Possible farewells? Comforting? No, they hoped neither of those things would be appropriate, so all they could do was sit there and hold hands. Terra felt horrible, she felt all of this was her fault, although Kefka insisted it wasn't.

He glanced over at her and smiled.

"It'll be okay. Really. Cid's a wonderful scientist, I'm sure he knows what he's doing. That's why he waited so long to try it out – he wanted to make sure it was safe."

"Is that really why? Do you really think it's safe enough now, or is Gestahl just pressuring him into it?" Terra said bitterly.

Kefka remained quiet a moment, unsure of how to answer that.

"Look here," He said finally, getting her to tear her gaze from the floor and meet his eye. "I _want_ to do this. We can't be apart. We've relied too much on each other over the years, and not just you… But me as well."

Terra blinked, watching him carefully.

"I need you too. I don't know what I'd do if I were left here in this tower, alone with Celes. We'd probably end up killing each other or something."

Terra giggled. She could almost imagine it.

"Please, Terra. Stop feeling guilty. I chose this, and nothing you could've said or done would change that. I care about you, and I'll do anything to keep us together."

That strange feeling seized her again, like it did the night they were preparing to have dinner with the emperor and Kefka complimented her dress. She had never noticed it before up until recently, when Kefka would begin to say about how much he cared for her. It was a feeling that she couldn't begin to explain, but it was one that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. One that she hated and made her feel quite uncomfortable.

"Thank you. I – I care about you too. I just don't want anything happening to you." She said quietly.

Kefka bent over and kissed her cheek. Although he was frightened beyond belief over what was to come, he still felt it all worth it. At least he wouldn't lose her.

After a few more moments of silence, Cid entered the room. He looked back and forth between the two and smiled.

"Okay, Kefka. We're all set up. We'd best get started on it now so we can get this over with."

For a moment, Kefka thought Cid actually appeared anxious. He was rather pale, and he kept fidgeting with his clipboard and speaking very fast and reassuring. Usually whenever Cid would reassure too much, it meant trouble…

Kefka tried to push the idea of trouble out of his mind and just relax. He was here now, and there was no turning back.

Just as he was about to stand up Terra threw herself on him, her arms tightly around his neck. He held her briefly before she let go, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Oh, why was she crying! He'd have a harder time trying to keep his emotions in check if she was standing in front of him crying! To avoid any of his doubts to betray him, he turned to Cid and nodded.

"Okay, let's go."

The moment they entered the room, Kefka did for a moment have a fleeting thought of backing out after seeing the surroundings, which appeared very much like an operation room. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but this wasn't what he had in mind.

He was told by a nurse to get on the cot, and after he did so she began strapping him to it.

"What the hell is that for?" He asked furiously, shooting a glance at Cid who stood in the doorway.

"Just so you don't fall off." The nurse replied flatly, which only added to Kefka's frustration.

"Fall off? I'll be lying here, unconscious, with needles all over me. How do you expect me to fall off?"

"Safety measures, Kefka." Cid replied calmly, to prevent any further questions. "It's mainly to keep you still. A slight movement on your part could lead to disaster."

Although he wasn't thrilled by it, Kefka accepted his answer. So far he hadn't liked how things were going, particularly the papers he had to sign. Again Cid had said it were for 'safety measures' yet Kefka wasn't so sure. It sounded more like he were walking into a suicide mission.

Cid went over to him, followed by an anesthesiologist.

"Now then, Kefka, I'm going to just go over the basics with you again." Cid began in his calm tone. "The anesthesiologist will warn you before he begins the IV with the medication. Don't be surprised if you instantly begin to feel drowsy, that's how it's meant to work, see. Don't fight it, just relax and fall asleep. There's no surgery, no knives or anything bloody like that so don't worry. There's only other IV's that I'll be hooking you up with that will do the infusion for us. That's all. The process is lengthy, not that you'll notice any length of time pass. But I just wanted you to be aware_"

"Yes, yes, you told me. 12-14 hours." Kefka said rather impatiently.

"Yeah, about that long." Cid said, seeming nervous or agitated by something. "Really there wouldn't be the need to put you out, only we need you to stay considerably still and with the length of time that is involved it would be very hard on you to remain that still for that long."

"Get to the point, what is the real reason you're putting me out?"

"Well, you see, I've never done this before. And although I have a rough estimate of what to expect, I don't know all of the details. I have no idea what it's going to be like for you to have an esper's powers drained into you, therefore having no idea how pleasant that might be. To be safe, we thought the anesthesia would be best."

Kefka nodded, the only thought running through his mind was to get this over with as quickly as possible. Honestly, he'd rather not be awake to find out how pleasant or not that it would be. Being unconscious seemed much safer. If only they could put him out before inserting the needles…

Cid patted his shoulder and leaned forward. "I know you're scared, and I can't blame you. I'd be feeling the same way if I were you." He paused, and thoughtfully added. "Remember, I'll be here for you at all times. I care about you, I won't let anything bad happen to you."

Kefka nodded, comforted by Cid's words. He smiled. "Scared? Me? Nah, you've read me all wrong. I'm just unhappy about the needles and the confinement. But I'll be okay. I trust you."

These last words stung Cid like an arrow piercing his heart. Trust. Kefka trusted him. And to look at how Cid was awarding his trust - by lying to him and putting him in mortal danger.

Cid tousled his hair in affection, then smoothed it back and whispered. "Thank you, Kefka. Terra will thank you, too."

The thought of Terra made Kefka go numb again. He felt more confident of what he was going to encounter. He only had to remind himself that he was doing it for her.

No matter what Kefka said, Cid could obviously see that he was afraid. "And has good reason to be, too. He's about as scared as I am, if not less than." Cid thought to himself.

The anesthesiologist went over to him and inserted a medication into his IV.

"It's alright, I haven't started it yet. Before we begin, is there anything that you need?" The anesthesiologist asked. Kefka shook his head. "Okay, then I'll just flip this switch on -" He said this in a calm manner as he did indeed begin the anesthesia. "- and now I want you to look over at that painting and count to ten. You'll feel a little funny, but just relax. You're fine."

Feeling like an idiot, Kefka obeyed, and with those last eight seconds of his consciousness taking in every detail of that painting. Even when everything grew dark and only distant voices that seemed as though they were coming from a different world could be heard, the painting remained intact and vivid within his mind. Then slowly, it seemed as though the painting had come to life. The monsters within the crevasses of the earth began to march about, snorting and growling. Then the beautiful maidens in the sky began to emerge, engulfing the darkened room with an illuminating golden light. But as they approached, their glow faded and their beauty died away. They soon became snarling monsters as well, with razor teeth and hideous faces. The vision was quite terrible, and though sensing it were only a dream, Kefka couldn't escape it like in most dreams. He was indeed trapped within it. That was when the pain came. Terrible, head-splitting pain that made him want to scream and writher in agony. Perhaps he had, although he couldn't hear his own voice. It seemed so far removed from his current state of being, yet the pain remained and intensified.

It was like a continuous torture that would not cease. As though being put in hell. A place that you can't escape from its torment. Kefka desired to just wake up, to escape the unpleasant thoughts and pain, yet he could find no refuge, but only more darkness. It seemed as though there would be no end, yet Kefka waited desperately for it. Then, from somewhere deep within the portrait, another creature emerged from it. A clown, but not the kind of clowns that you find in circus acts. An evil jester. It snickered delightedly, enjoying itself as it stood watching Kefka in agony. Then finally it leapt over to him, whispering in a hoarse voice filled with mockery and hate. "You are mine."

Everything then seemed to go dark.

**Author's Note:** Oh my! I certainly took a break from writing. Sorry about that! I had a lot of family stuff come up, and that had to be tended to first. But I'm back! Let's continue to get this story on the road, shall we? Thanks for your patience on waiting for this chapter to come, and again I'm sorry for the delay. :)

Parts of this chapter was omitted from my other fanfic Knights of the Magitek Army during the infusion process. The very same thing occurs in this story, so I thought why not? Anyway, if any of you had read that fic before you might've thought this sounded familiar! Thanks for reading, and as always please read and review. I'd love to know what you thought!


	19. Dreams Mean Nothing

**Chapter Nineteen: Dreams Mean Nothing**

The clouds moved slowly overhead in a circular pattern, while the wind swept gently over Terra's face. It was one of her first visits to the outdoors in broad daylight, and she found herself thoroughly enjoying it.

She lied on her back in the thick honeydew grass, with spring wildflowers and dandelions surrounding her. It was just like one of her dreams: being surrounded with wildflowers in a sunny, cheerful garden. Only she wasn't in a garden, nor was she very cheery. For what was going on in the dark, dreary Magitek Facility caused her heart to sink whenever she'd think of it – Kefka's infusion.

Guilt poured over her as she attempted to shut her mind off of the infusion, and Kefka entirely. Even though Kefka had been persistent about getting infused, Terra had allowed him to do it. She should've stopped him, though she wasn't entirely sure that she had the ability to. She felt as though she could've tried harder, yet she found that she was being partly selfish: She had _wanted _him to get infused, because she didn't want to be alone.

Alone. It was a very terrifying feeling that Terra had grown quite accustomed to over the years of their imprisonment in the research facility. She had felt so alone, so isolated all of the time that she wasn't entirely certain what it would feel like to truly be apart of society again.

She could only wait and find out. For only time alone would tell.

Behind her, she heard the faint sound of the back door to the facility creak open and slam shut again. Yet she didn't bother to turn around to see who had arrived – she didn't feel very much up to having company. Footsteps fell behind her, yet it still didn't perk her interests or cause her to open her eyes.

"Terra," The feminine voice of her close friend called.

Terra then opened her eyes, noticing the shadow of her friend cast over her as she looked up, meeting Celes's clear, blue eyes with her mystified green ones. Sorrow could only be read in Terra's expression, which caused Celes to shift uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"Terra," Celes repeated softly. "I came because – Well, Cid would like to see you."

Terra's forehead creased with a frown of worry, as she rolled over onto her stomach, now facing Celes directly.

"Do you know why?" She asked her.

Celes shook her head; soft blonde bangs falling gently forward into her face.

"No, he didn't say… Though I would assume that he's probably done with the infusion now, since he came out of the basement to find me."

Terra nodded, slowly processing all of what Celes had said. She really hoped it was all over, though she was scared to find out if it really was. She wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to know the outcome. With certainty, she wanted to hear that Kefka was fine and well, only she wasn't counting on that answer – she had to be open minded, no matter how much it pained her to be that way.

Terra rose, glancing over her shoulder one last time at the bliss scene, before walking straight past Celes, into the dark, dreary prison that had held her captive for so long.

She'd well memorized the layout of the research facility – It hadn't really taken Cid giving them tutorials for her to find her way around. Her and Kefka had been out on their own on so many occasions that she practically knew where everything was by heart. Though she made a point of not stressing this to Cid directly. Even though he knew that they'd gone out on some occasions, he didn't know when, or how often, and Terra rather preferred to keep it that way. Some things were just best left unmentioned.

At last she came upon the door leading to Cid's office, only she needn't knock for the door was left open. She found Cid sitting casually at his desk, as though he'd been through a normal day's work – perhaps he was rather used to torturing people. He was leaning back in his chair, his feet propped up on the desk as he surveyed some papers calmly. Terra cleared her throat to get the professor's attention, for he hadn't seemed to notice her enter.

He looked up abruptly from his papers, and Terra hadn't noticed until then that his eyes shadowed with dark circles under them, as he wore a rather pained expression. Although he changed his face immediately upon seeing her, into the same, unreadable mask that he always wore and put on his false smile to go with the blasé persona.

"Terra! Good, Celes found you. Come in, please!" He said, gesturing towards the seat directly in front of him. "I've got good news for you."

Terra felt the weight uplift from her heavy heart upon his words, as she stepped into the tiny, cluttered office and took the seat before the professor.

"Yes, Cid?" She asked timidly, trying to keep the excitement out of her tone as best she could.

Cid, however didn't seem all to anxious to respond to her, as he fidgeted with a trinket on his desk, then smoothed down the spread along his desk before at last speaking to her.

"Well, I think you'll be happy to know that the infusion is over, and that Kefka's alive and well –"

"Really?" Terra couldn't help but exclaim, looking as though she could jump from her seat at any moment.

Cid chuckled at her enthusiasm, as he brought his feet off the desk to turn and face her more seriously.

"Yes, he's fine. Only – he was left in a bit more of a weakened state than I had anticipated him being in. But don't worry," Cid added quickly, noticing the fear shadowing Terra's face. "He'll be himself again in a matter of time. Perhaps sooner than later."

"Is he… awake?" Terra asked the professor.

Cid nodded slowly, avoiding Terra's gaze as he responded.

"Yes, or at least I think so – He's woken from the original anesthesia at any rate, though it'll leave a person a bit dazed and groggy for some time afterwards. I wouldn't be all that surprised if he's asleep again, though if you'd like to see him –"

"May I?"

At this, Cid met the eyes of the enthusiastic girl; sadness and joy could both be found in her deep, emerald green eyes. Against his better judgment, he nodded.

"Yes, Terra. You can go down and see him. Although I would like to first warn you that he's a bit… _Out _of it. So, if you would be gentle with him, and his memory…"

Terra's face fell, as she looked up at the professor in horror.

"He doesn't remember anything?"

Cid glanced up at her quickly.

"Oh, no, no! He remembers fine – or at least I think he does. Though it's all a bit hazy for him, particularly the infusion process. I think it'd really be best if you just avoided that topic if you can help it. It wasn't entirely… a pleasant experience."

"Why? What happened?" Terra demanded quickly upon his words.

Cid took a moment before responding, the same way that he always had when attempting to avoid a difficult question, as he turned around to look out the window at the perfect spring day.

"It just didn't go as smoothly as I thought it would," He replied simply, still having his back to the troubled girl. "I would just rather he forget the incident than be allowed to rehash it all. Like I said, he's fine, so don't worry about what went on. The end result is what counts, after all."

Terra wasn't sure why, but she had the funny feeling as though Cid were trying to reassure himself more than her.

Cid rose from his chair, clapping a hand on Terra's shoulder as he led Terra out of the room and down the hall towards the basement.

Terra's mind raced as they proceeded along the passage to the basements, thinking over what Cid had said. What sort of state was Kefka really in? Was he truly alright? She was afraid to find out, yet relieved to get it all over with as well. If something truly went wrong with him… Terra could never find it in her heart to forgive herself.

As they passed more halls and went down several flights of stairs, Terra realized that this was one of the places in the facility that her and Kefka hadn't frequented during their escapades at night. Or at least if they had wandered down that way on accident, she certainly didn't recognize it in the daylight. Almost in answer, Cid explained about the area of the facility that they were entering.

"This is where I do most of my experimenting," He told her as they continued to make their way down a hall. "Only I made a couple of rooms up into hospital rooms as well, in case something ever happened. I'm glad that I did – it's certainly come in handy."

She was so tempted to ask him if this was the first time that the hospital rooms had ever seen use, but thought that might come across as rather rude and so fought off the desire.

After passing through several white tiled halls the pair came to a halt at a room labeled '129'. Cid turned towards Terra and offered her a warm smile, taking up her small, slender hand in his large one tenderly.

"Go on," He urged, gesturing towards the door with a tilt of his head. "I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see you – after all you were the first one that he mentioned after he awakened."

Terra bit her lip and nodded reassuringly towards Cid, before pulling her hand from his and grasping the brass door handle and giving it a push. As she opened the door to the darkened room, she turned to look over her shoulder at Cid, but found him to already have left. She drew in a rattled breath, the feeling leaving her lips as her heart beat quickly, her hand which rested on the door handle trembled as she pushed the door further open.

The room was dark and quiet. Eerily quiet, with only the soft humming sounds of machinery at work as well as the sound of a heart monitor, though she hadn't noticed that immediately over the pounding of her own heart in her ears. The room had been in the basement – so naturally, no light came pouring in from windows, but there had been several large candles lit along a counter that provided the dim light surrounding the room. Terra carefully took a step over towards the center of the rather small room, slowly taking in her surroundings. In a bed before her lay a motionless Kefka, though he looked exactly as she remembered him – she wasn't sure exactly what she was expecting, but thought since he was being infused with an Esper, it would somehow make him no longer remain the same person that she once knew and loved. His hair that he normally wore in a ponytail had been let down, and she couldn't help but notice right away that he seemed much more pale than usual.

Terra silently made her way closer to him, not being fully certain with what the best course of action would be. She wanted to wake him, to let him know that she was there, and to see for herself that he were truly alright, only she felt guilty to do so. He was sleeping – it was best to leave him that way. He'd obviously been through a lot, and Cid himself had said that the procedure had been much more draining than he had anticipated…

After several moments of Terra standing along his bedside, she dragged over a chair from the corner of the room and sat down beside him, carefully taking his hand in hers. She laced their fingers together, as she stared off into the distance, attempting to calm her racing heart by studying the room more carefully. However, she found as she sat there, the more anxious she felt. Suddenly Terra felt the grasp tighten around her fingers, as she looked over to find Kefka stirring.

"…Kefka?" Terra said in barely more than a whisper, wiping golden blonde strands of hair from his face. "Kefka… It's me… Terra."

He stirred again, though this time more consciously than he had before as he slowly opened his eyes, watching her with what seemed like a confused expression for a moment.

"Terra," He said slowly, and Terra thought that she could see recognition slowly dawning in his eyes. "I'm glad to see you… Cid let you through?"

Terra nodded, her green eyes fixated on him.

"He said that you would want to see me."

"He was right," Kefka said, grinning at her. "I did want to see you."

Terra felt him release his grasp long enough to more properly lace their fingers before grasping it tightly again. She tried hard to fight the look of concern from appearing on her face, though she knew that it were probably a fruitless effort – Kefka could read her like a book, it was impossible for her to hide anything from him, much less her emotions. She only hoped that the dimness of the room partially hid it for her.

"How are you feeling?" She asked concernedly. "Cid told me that the infusion went… hard."

A pained expression crossed his face at the mention of the infusion, and Terra instantly regretted mentioning it. She'd briefly forgotten that Cid had said it was best to not mention it to him. He wanted Kefka to forget… Only Terra couldn't imagine how it could've been so horrible that he'd wish him to forget about it.

"I'm… okay." He replied slowly, removing his gaze from hers. "I'm on a lot of medicine though – hence the fogginess of my brain – so it's sort of hard for me to decipher how I really feel, except for _weird. _I've never felt this way before."

An odd silence was emitted between them, and before Kefka had to think back on the infusion much longer, Terra abruptly changed the subject.

"Leo came by," She said suddenly. Kefka's blue eyes sharply met hers.

"He did?" He asked, and for a moment she could hear the wistfulness in his tone. "What did he say?"

"He was furious with us that we hadn't told him you were getting infused." She told him. "Even though I told him it was because he never cares…"

"You really said that?"

"I did."

Kefka laughed, and Terra let out a relieved sigh. He really was still the same guy she'd known, even if he was _different_.

"Sometimes I can't get over the bold things that you'll do occasionally, Terra." He said, offering her a wry grin. "Normally you never speak back to Leo."

"I have lately, if you haven't noticed." She replied coolly.

Kefka nodded, turning away from her again.

"I – really wish that he hadn't left." He muttered under his breath, and Terra was shocked to hear him actually admit it. She figured it must've been the medicine that made him do it. While true, it was quite plain that even though Kefka said he didn't care two pennies about Leo, she knew that he did. There was no denying it – they'd been too close for so long. One person can't just walk away from a close friendship like that without at least feeling wounded. But then again, she knew that was Kefka's way of being wounded. He pretended as though he didn't care for his own sake, yet inside he was grieving. Terra really wasn't sure how to respond to his statement, though she was grateful that she didn't have to when Kefka spoke again.

"Terra, can I ask you a rather… ridiculous question?"

Terra considered him for a moment, and then nodded.

"I'm sure your question's not ridiculous," She said offhandedly. "But sure, ask me. What is it?"

"Well," He said, frowning in thought, as he remained silent for a long time. "I guess I was just wondering how often you've had a dream that had something to do with reality?"

Terra raised an eyebrow, certainly not expecting that sort of question to come from Kefka, of all people.

"Umm, I guess so. Sure, I've had dreams that had something to do with real life." She replied.

"No, I mean like… Dreams that come true, or about something that is real, only you don't fully realize it."

"Oh…" She said, not fully understanding what he was trying to get at.

"I'm sorry," Kefka said, shaking his head. "Forget it. I already know the answer to my own question, it's just I had a dream that was rather… disturbing."

"I'm sure it was only a dream, Kefka." Terra soothed, though a chill went down her spine as she said this. She had known from her own past experience that sometimes dreams weren't as innocent as they had seemed. She'd found this out back when the Espers had been using her in attempts to escape their prison. Particularly since Kefka had been infused with an Esper, the thought of him receiving a dream from one of them was unnerving. Though she didn't want to state her fears to him just then – For generally speaking, dreams meant nothing, and especially since he'd been under anesthesia for so long she didn't think it was weird that he was having unusual dreams. Or at least, she managed to convince herself of this, regardless of her little knowledge for the ways that anesthesia works.

Kefka continued to stare off in the distance, his blue eyes traveling down the lengths of the room.

"I'm sure you're right," He said, attempting to shake off the thoughts of the previous dream he'd had during the infusion. "I've just… Never had a dream that seemed so _real _before."

Terra gave his hand a squeeze, as she smiled over at him reassuringly.

"Sometimes talking things over helps," She said. "Do you want to tell me about it? You know I'd listen if you did."

"No," Kefka said quickly, perhaps too quickly. "It's alright – don't worry about it. I'm being silly, I know you're right. Dreams don't mean anything."

It hadn't seemed as though Terra had been there for longer than twenty minutes when a nurse came to the door, holding a tray with different vials of medication, smiling over at Terra. Kefka groaned, and Terra looked over at him concernedly until he muttered.

"Please. No. More. Shots. I don't think I could survive another one."

Terra chuckled to herself at this, and had wondered how he'd managed to not rip his IV out, unless perhaps he'd already been tempted and Cid convinced him out of it.

Terra patted his shoulder.

"Oh, you'll be fine! One more shot can't hurt you."

His expression darkened.

"You've no idea," He told her seriously.

The nurse came further into the room, setting her tray down on the counter nearby. She turned to face them, smiling over at them with a saddened expression.

"I'm sorry dear. But I've got to give your friend some more medications, and then I really think he ought to get some rest. He's been through a rather traumatic procedure." She said, her words trailing off as she looked over at Terra expectantly.

Terra nodded quickly. "I understand," She then turned to Kefka, watching him carefully for a moment.

"I promise I'll come back soon."

"You do that," Kefka muttered quietly. "I'll be waiting, you know."

He then struggled in attempts to lift himself to a sitting position, and pulled Terra by her arm closer to him into an embrace.

"I'll miss you," He said bitterly into her sea foam green hair, the hair that he'd always been so fond of.

Terra wasn't sure why these words stung at her heart; it wasn't as though she would be leaving for long. Though Kefka had been himself through their visit, something had still remained different about him… Only she couldn't quite place what it was.

Terra tightly wrapped her arms around him, and then gently led him back to the pillows before letting go.

"I'll come back," She repeated, as she stood up to leave. "I promise."

**Author's Note:**

Alright, so I'm a bad, neglecting author. I'm so sorry about the irregular chapter updates! I really had planned to finish this story much sooner :( It seems like I've been much busier lately and just haven't had the time to dedicate to this story as I had last year. But I promise to get this fanfic finished up eventually, hopefully sooner than later. Thanks for so much for sticking with me through my slow updates and continuing to read the story!

Naturally, I can never get tired of reviews ;) I'd love to hear what you think!

If anyone reading this story has ever played Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, they'll probably find it amusing to know that after writing my Golden Sun fanfic consecutively for the past couple months, I kept screwing up and typing Kefka as "Amiti" or Terra as "Karis" in this chapter. If you've played it, you'll realize how humorous that actually is. While yes, Karis has some similarities to Terra in personality, but Amiti and Kefka… They're practically like night and day to each other :D Now, I _seriously _need to stop writing so late into the night!


	20. To Be Human

Chapter 20: To Be Human

Many months had come and gone since Kefka's magitek infusion, and with each of those months came new problems and fears for them all. Many of those in which Terra found on her own, and chose to confide in no one with.

The evening breeze swept across the balcony gently, rustling the wind chimes on the lower level below so that they made a soft jingling sound. The evening was cool and beautiful, and for Terra, it was the most special evening of all that were spent within the Research Facility; for it would be the last one as well.

After that night, Terra would never again sleep under the yellow Victorian-floral bedspread or watch the white fan whirl until she fell asleep. Never again would she walk into the playroom and try to find joy or contentment within, nor the library, or anywhere within that hall. She would leave it all behind forever, something in which she had mixed feelings over. As much as she hated her imprisonment within the confines of the Research Facility, it was the only real home that she'd ever had – aside from her short-lived stay in the Imperial Palace that seemed vague and far off now; almost as if she had lived there in an entirely different life, and it never really had happened to her.

She stood at the balcony's rail, her arms resting against it as she gazed out into the city of Vector below. Though the hour was growing later and the darkness had already fallen upon the technologically advanced city, the streets were still lively, filled with people carrying on with their affairs, very similar to how Terra had remembered it from her first trip into town. How very much she loved the city, yet she was fearful to become a part of it. Why, she couldn't really say for certain, except for the standing fact that she was not normal and didn't fit in with society as she should. Her first trip into town also had proved that theory.

Or at least, this was from her viewpoint.

"Busy?" a familiar voice with a hint of sarcasm asked from behind her. Terra needn't turn around to know who the speaker was.

"As busy as one could get from staring out of a balcony, I suppose," she answered mildly, which seemed to be enough of an affirmative for Kefka as he approached her. He went over to stand alongside Terra's left, as he too rested his arms against the balcony's rail.

"Ah, but I can see that your mind's busy, if nothing else." He paused, his eyebrows furrowing into a frown as his cerulean blue gaze continued to observe the lit-up city below. "But what _is _on your mind, Terra, if I may be so bold to ask?"

Terra let out a sigh as she wrapped her fingers around the smooth metal of the railing that's paint had rusted off.

"I'm just – thinking, that's all," she said shortly, as though not really wanting to delve into the matter too deeply with him, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by her best friend.

"About serious stuff?" he further pressed, and he could tell by her expression that she was getting annoyed.

Terra shrugged without fully answering him, as she refused to meet his gaze even though he could sense his eyes boring into her.

Kefka remained silent a moment as he reached out and brushed her seafoam-green bangs out of her face, his finger lingering against her pale cheek as he spoke.

"I've been thinking a lot myself lately," he said in an indifferent tone, or at least, indifferent for Kefka with his usual sarcasm. "Been thinking about tomorrow. I'm really excited, are you?"

"Yes, kind of," Terra replied awkwardly, her eyes darkening slightly.

Kefka raised an eyebrow apprehensively and said slowly, "You're not – are you?"

Terra felt warm tears welling in the corners of her eyes as her throat tightened into a knot. She couldn't tell Kefka how she truly felt about leaving; especially not after everything he'd done for her over the past several months, just so that they _could _leave and stay together. She couldn't admit to her concerns about leaving, or let alone the fact that she would actually miss it there.

Then the words that he uttered were not ones that she could easily respond to: "Why not?"

Terra shifted slightly, making it more difficult for him to peer down into her face, for even though it was dark she still felt as though it couldn't mask her emotions. No, her and Kefka knew each other far too well, and could read the other almost as simply as looking through a windowpane.

"I guess I just…don't know how to feel about leaving tomorrow," she said in a shaky voice that was far from holding any sort of confidence." I mean, I've wanted to leave this terrible prison for so long now, that now I'm afraid to see anything new."

Terra paused, as she raised a hand to rub her nose. "What if – if it's not everything that I had hoped for? Or everything I had imagined it to be? Than what would I do?"

The wind gently swept back Kefka's long, golden-blond hair that currently fell about an inch past his shoulder blades.

"Well, I know that it can't be perfect," he admitted, shooting Terra a sideways glance. "Nothing in life – particularly in this Empire – is, so try not to go into anything with too high of expectations and you'll be fine. Just trust me."

"Will it really be any better than here?"

Better…Kefka remained rooted to the spot upon her words, his expression unreadable as his eyes darted back and forth from one end of the lit-up city to the other, while his mind raced to think up a good response. His stance caused Terra to cringe slightly. So he pretty much _did _have the same concerns as herself, she thought to herself, only he had more bravery than her when it came to coping with inner emotions, or perhaps it had only been a façade for her; it was impossible to determine for sure.

"Terra," he said finally, turning towards her with a sly grin, "what could possibly be worse than being locked up in a lone tower for seven years? Nothing that I can think of."

"Seven years," Terra repeated, closing her eyes as she allowed the cool evening air to whip her face. "Has it really been that long?"

"Almost, it'll be seven years in a couple months," he answered, letting out a sigh.

"Kefka," Terra said suddenly, turning her head to face the young man who was as dear to her as a brother. "Is life really this unfair, or is it just this way for us?"

Kefka scratched his ear as he gave Terra another sideways glance. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean," Terra began, and then faltered as she dropped her gaze shamefully to the ground, not wanting to believe what she was about to say to indeed be true. "I mean, are we just unworthy of living real, normal lives like all of those people in the city? Or does everyone hate it this rough?"

Kefka remained silent for a moment while he mused over his response.

"Those people in the city aren't living perfect lives, either," he replied. "I'm sure they all have their own fair share of problems, but that doesn't mean their lives aren't easier. This isn't normal, Terra. No human being is made to live the way that we have – and still are. But, once we leave…things simply must get better from here, they must!"

Terra turned away from him, as tears silently formed in her eyes once more and threatened to roll down her cheek.

"I guess that's why I'm treated the way that I am, then," she said softly, her gaze meeting her hands as she grasped the rusty railing tightly until her knuckles turned white. "They can justify it because I'm really _not _a human being."

"Terra, you're missing the whole point," Kefka said impatiently as he crossed his arms and turned his back to the railing so that he was now leaning against it. "We've been given very abnormal lives; ones that we don't deserve. Espers don't deserve the treatment that they're receiving, either. I think whatever the entire Empire is trying to do is wrong."

Terra refused to meet is intense gaze as she glanced up towards the night sky with a vacant expression. She wasn't surprised by what Kefka had said, for she knew he'd say almost anything to make her feel better, whether it be the truth or not. She didn't know whether to believe the treatment the Espers received was cruel or not, but she did know that in the world they lived in Espers were considered to be a lesser being – therefore they were rendered unworthy of being valued as a human being.

Terra shivered slightly, though it had nothing to do with the cold, even though the temperatures had dropped drastically that past week. Winter was again approaching, and Terra had recalled the very same time during the year prior had been her first escapade outside of the Research Facility; her first taste of freedom. Terra remembered her only concerns consisting of being able to make further trips into town, saving up enough money to buy ice cream and wondering when the next snowfall would come. After a long, dreary year, snow would be falling again soon, yet Terra felt no room in her heart to be excited over this. Her greatest fears were now how she would survive in society, and what their future lives as Imperial soldiers would hold. Kefka reached out and grasped her shoulder tightly, forcing Terra to bring her emerald gaze up to meet his.

"I'm worried too, but that's only because we're walking into the unknown. The unknown is scary to anyone, Terra, simply because it's unfamiliar to us. But I'm sure that will come to pass once we finally get into the palace and get settled in, I'm quite certain of it. I know you must be scared, but just remember that we're both walking into this together, okay?" His tone was so sincere, and so affirming that Terra couldn't help but feel comforted by his words. A small smile formed around her pale lips as she reached out and wrapped her hand tightly around his.

"You're right, thank you for going through – for wanting to be there for me," she said softly, her eyes twinkling in the dim starlight. "You really didn't have to –"

"Oh-no, none of that, now!" Kefka interrupted before Terra could begin dumping more guilt on herself for Kefka undergoing the infusion for her sake. "We've already been through that, remember? It was _my _choice. I had _wanted _to be infused, and nothing you said or did could've changed my mind in the matter. So please, stop worrying about it now, okay? It's all over with, and now we're going to get out of here! Rejoice!"

Kefka let out a hollow laugh as he clapped her shoulder playfully before walking away.

"Kefka?" Terra called out suddenly, causing him to stop in the doorway.

He barely turned his head in her direction. "Huh?"

"Do you really believe all of that stuff? Everything that you had said, I mean," she asked him, though she wasn't entirely certain why she was bothering, for she already knew the answer well enough.

Kefka rolled his eyes as he turned around fully to face her.

"Nope, Terra. I lied, and I made all of that fancy stuff up just to make you feel better," he said in a voice filled with sarcasm.

They both just stared at each other for a moment before he added, "Just chill out, please? Everything'll be fine, just watch."

Terra forced a tiny smile to curve the edges of her lips as she nodded.

"Okay, thank you, Kefka."

"You're welcome, Terra," he replied, cracking a wide grin. "See you in the morning?"

Terra nodded in response. "That's fine,"

Kefka shot her one last glance before opening the French doors leading back into the Research Facility and exiting out of them. Terra let out a long sigh as she watched him disappear behind the glass and out of view.

She shot a wistful gaze up at the sky, her green eyes twinkling from the brightly lit stars above. It was strange how sometimes those stars could seem so near, while other times they seemed as though the were worlds away. She didn't believe that stars could provide answers for her, but she secretly hoped that the silence of the night would tell her heart the truth –the truth about her and everything else. Only sadly, she feared that she already knew what the deep, dark truth was – it wasn't pleasant, and certainly wasn't the pretty picture that Kefka had painted for her.

"Thank you, Kefka, for trying," she whispered to the darkness around her, as it was now the only thing that could hear her. "But I already know what I am, and where I truly belong."

**Author's Note:**

I am so terribly sorry for my lack of updates; but before I go into a bunch of fancy excuses I will simply leave it as an apology and a promise to try to do better next time… though I think I always say that, huh?

I'm sorry if this chapter seemed a little random or out of place… I have most of the next chapter written up and it touches much on the events around Kefka's infusion, and how it affected him.

At this point in the story it has been nine months since Kefka's infusion, and they are finally leaving the Research Facility for good. I wasn't sure if I made the timeline very clear, so just wanted to touch on that real quick.

As always, thank you so much for your patience with waiting for this story to be updated :D I really appreciate it, and I really will strive to get this story finished up soon. It's not too far off from that point, actually, and I've now set this story as my #1 project again, so hopefully I'll get updates up more regularly and have it finished by the end of the year (I know, wishful thinking, right?)

Anyway, please read and review; I'm always anxious to know what you all think!


	21. Departure

Breakfast had been laid upon the small table within the playroom, yet Terra felt no desire to take even the smallest bite. Ever since last night her stomach had been doing odd flips and flutters, and she thought food would merely be revolted should she attempt to ingest any.

The other two around the table hardly felt the same—if they even shared any of this feeling at all. To her left sat Celes, who slowly ate at her plate of blueberry pancakes. It helped that they were her favorite, though Terra partly guessed that the events to follow weren't setting her within quite the same state of anxiety that was currently plaguing herself. Kefka sat across from the two girls, scooping in mouthfuls of oatmeal while reading the back of a milk carton simultaneously. A multi-tasker, only, sadly, he wasn't doing a very good job of it, considering a spoonful of cereal happened to meet his lap rather than his mouth. This bothered him very little, however, as he simply wiped at it with a napkin before resuming the back label of the milk carton.

Letting out a deep sigh, Terra turned towards the clock hanging on the opposite end of the room. Though the hands were quite blurry from where she sat, the position of the short, fat hour-hand was unmistakably pointing at the nine.

"Only one more hour," the sea foam-haired girl thought numbly to herself. "One more hour and I'll leave this building forever."

Forever…it was such an incredibly difficult term to begin processing. She'd lived in the research facility for nearly as far back as she could remember, yet now she would be leaving it for good. For years her and Kefka longed for nothing more than to escape the stifling walls of their tower, to breathe the same air as all the other people did. Only now that the moment had finally come, Terra couldn't help but feel a tad apprehensive and, well…afraid.

The clang of a spoon against the table snapped Terra out of her daze, causing her to shift her eyes back onto the other members at the table. Celes let out a low sigh, shaking her head in exasperation while retrieving her spoon one more. Kefka, however, seemed not to notice in the least.

"Did you guys happen to know," he began enthusiastically, entirely failing to notice the girls' lack thereof, "that some guy's wanted dead for running off with a Magitek suit?"

"And you think we're even _interested _Kefka?" Celes asked incredulously. "Sheesh, that's awfully random. Where'd that come from anyway?"

The blond teen attempted to speak, only was unable to due to his mouth being full of oatmeal. Instead he gestured to the milk carton. Out of curiosity, both girls leaned forward to examine the label closely. As Kefka had quoted, a picture of a young imperial soldier lay pressed against the carton, a "wanted" tag resting below it with his name and information. Celes couldn't help but let out a scoff.

"Stupid man," she murmured. "Didn't he know he would get caught?"

Kefka merely shrugged, though said nothing as he resumed eating his oatmeal. It seemed the things that interested him greatly varied from those of the blond female, though this might've been due to their recent fall out. Of course, Celes and Kefka had _never _been on the best of terms with one another throughout the entire course of their relationship, yet it hadn't been quite as steep as it'd been lately, either.

Breaking up the monotony of the moment, Cid entered the room, a radiant smile plastered upon his face. He brought another plate of pancakes which was relatively unnecessary, for the plate already resting on the table had hardly been touched.

"Hello there!" he greeted warmly, setting the plate down alongside them. "Thought maybe you two would be hungry since you've got a big day ahead. You know, meeting the emperor and all."

Terra's expression fell upon his words, her vision darkening as she refused to meet the gaze of the jolly scientist. Kefka merely ignored him, moving from examining the milk carton on to reading the back of a cereal box. Suspicions arose that perhaps he were intentionally engaging himself in any thoughts other than their leave, though Terra wondered if this were merely her perception.

To her surprise she felt a hand rest upon her shoulder, causing her to turn her head to meet the eyes of the scientist. They sparkled with joy, and also something else. Something far more stirring than joy, which frightened the girl ever so slightly. Cid was notorious for keeping things from them, and she couldn't help but fear that was precisely what he was doing just then.

"Say, Terra...might I have a word with you?" he asked finally.

She hesitantly shot a glance towards the other members of the table, yet only Celes looked up from her plate, a look of confusion sprawled upon her face. For a moment Kefka's eyes met hers, though they flickered back to the box almost as instantaneously as they left it.

"Sure," came the small response from the girl. She shoved her chair back, rising slowly before joining the scientist out of the playroom, down the hall and into her room.

A pang of anguish seized her heart upon entering the small room that her and Celes had shared for years. While she'd been too preoccupied dreaming of leaving, she hadn't realized how much she would miss everything she were leaving behind; especially Celes. The girl had been there for nearly as long as Terra could remember, and she considered her no less than a sister. It saddened her to think that soon they would be forced to live apart, unknowing when they would be graced with the opportunity to see one another again. The empire was rather stringent when it came to rules, to the point of not even making sense, so the duration between visits could result in being horrifically long.

Terra found a piece of mind knowing that Celes would be well taken care of, at the very least. Cid doted on her whenever possible, and Terra knew he'd go through painful lengths just to see to it that she was happy. That alone comforted her, even though the thought of never seeing her again ripped her soul in two.

She couldn't have everything she wanted—she'd learned that the hard way. To gain something there was always a price to pay, whether it be great or small, only she'd felt as though she'd already paid enough. It seemed that it was time that she started gaining—perhaps that time would be now.

For a moment neither said a word, but merely stood in the doorframe and looked around the room dismally. Along the wall rested Terra's trunk, fully packed with what little belongings she possessed. Light shimmered through the windows and shone down cheerful rays upon the victorian bedspread and curtains, yet it failed in bringing any sort of joy to light the faces of the two. Cid's expression grew serious as his eyes moved towards the windowsill, and it took Terra a moment to discover that he'd been eyeing her trunk curiously.

"You're, eh, all packed then?" he asked awkwardly, in a tone that caused suspicion to arise within the ten-year-old.

"Yes, I finished last night, actually." Terra tilted her head to the side curiously. "Why?"

Cid scratched the back of his head, turning his eyes onto the girl alongside him. "Oh, no reason, really. Was just wondering if you needed any help. That's all."

"Oh…" Terra didn't look fully convinced, but chose not to question the scientist further in the matter. Instead she proceeded to add, "Celes helped me pack last night, though she was in tears about it."

Cid stepped further into the room and eased himself into the chair at the girls' vanity. It squeaked and groaned under his weight, and it partly surprised Terra that it hadn't simply collapsed underneath him. The room appeared a bit more vacant now that Terra's things had been put away, all her personal touches being entirely absent from the room's atmosphere.

"Ah, that's nice. Sweet girl. She's really going to miss you once you're gone," he said softly.

"I know," Terra replied, closing her eyes as her slim hand moved towards the silver locket around her neck. "And I'm going to be missing her terribly, too."

Silence filled the room as the two continued staring off, not at each other but instead what seemed to be another world entirely. Both were hurting, yet Terra found that it only hurt more to voice it rather than contain it. She'd always been taught to allow her emotions to show, yet the opposite seemed much more productive in the long run.

"Will you be alright…without her?" Cid asked suddenly, his blue eyes still passive and looking afar.

Terra abruptly glanced up at his words; the very question that she'd been asking herself had finally been uttered aloud. Would she truly be alright?

"I—I'm really not sure," she answered. "But at least I'll have Kefka with me. I know he'll protect me."

Cid remained silent, a pained expression engraved on his face as though wanting to say something but choosing to fight against it. Terra sat down on the foot of her bed before the scientist.

"Cid, what's wrong? Is there something you know that you aren't telling us?"

His eyes darted around the room in avoidance until he found that he couldn't abstain from telling her any longer.

"Just be careful, never trust anyone too blindly," he warned.

Terra blinked. "What do you mean? Are you saying that I shouldn't trust Kefka? I know he only wants what's best for me. Why, I've known him from as far back as I can remember! Of course I can trust him, he's—"

"He's only human, Terra. Remember that. A human with Esper blood running through his veins. His new powers certainly don't make him infallible. In fact, that blood might make him a slight bit more so than the rest of us."

Terra's eyes widened in disbelief. "Kefka would never harm me. I don't know what you might have personally against him, but I _know _Kefka, and I know he would protect me at any cost."

"But do you know him really?" Or do you just think that you do?" Cid asked her accusingly. "Do you know him deep down, or do you just know the facade that he tends to display?"

Terra's face grew hot with rage; how dare Cid speak of Kefka that way? Everyone seemed to think ill of him—everyone. Yet Terra had thought Cid had managed to see him differently; she supposed she were wrong.

"I trust Kefka more than anyone in the world," she said defiantly. "Nothing you say could ever change my mind."

A low sigh escaped the scientist as he brought a hand up to rub his temple.

"I understand," he replied numbly. "And I'm glad you feel you can trust him. I won't try to discourage you from it, I just want you to be wary—especially of those with Esper blood."

"Why?" The question came into her mind and fled from her mouth before she had any hopes of preventing it.

Minutes of silence ticked by before the clock in the hall chimed ten times, announcing their departure's arrival. Cid finally met her eye.

"Once a person has been augmented, as Kefka has, they are no longer the same anymore."

"What are you saying?" Terra demanded, in a voice that was likely louder than necessary. "Why didn't you tell anybody this sooner? Like before Kefka was infused?"

"I didn't know," he murmured, "what it would do…in a human. I didn't know how it would affect the mind, or how it would alter one's personality."

While forcing herself to remain sitting calmly, a surge of rage rushed through her veins. She wanted to leap up and scream about how wrong he was, though she knew it wouldn't do any good and therefore resisted this temptation.

"Kefka has _not _changed," Terra said lowly. "What would make you think that he would?"

"I'm not saying that he has," Cid corrected, raising a hand defensively. "And I'm not saying that he will. I'm just saying that he 'might,' and you'd do best to be careful and remember that."

Terra watched him with somber eyes as the scientist stood up, seriousness replacing his usual carefree air.

"Now then, do whatever else you need to get ready. A courier will be here to escort you to the palace soon." He offered her a slight smile, which Terra only returned with a jerk of the head. "Oh, and Terra?"

She looked up, and Cid nodded seriously in her direction.

"I really will miss you."

"I'll—I'll miss you, too," she muttered, her tone barely more than a whisper. Her gaze shifted onto the ground once more. "You're really the closest thing I've ever had to a parent before."

Tears managed to protrude from Cid's eyes, yet he turned around and headed out the door, leaving Terra alone with only her misery to accompany her.

Many thoughts taunted the girl as she stuffed whatever remains she had left to be packed. They had been raised like lab-rats, with lives already predestined for them; that is, if they were to survive the encounter. If not then, well, they weren't considered worthy of living anyway. That was how Terra began to envision the empire: cold, cruel and vicious. There was little anyone could say to convince her otherwise.

Terra finally slammed the lid of her trunk shut, locking it before lugging it to her bedroom door. She pursued to drag the heavy box down the narrow hall, something which she found to be quite challenging considering the trunk was in no way considered light.

"Hey, let me help you with that," a friendly voice greeted from behind her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the familiar blond teen approach her, who began to remove the trunk's handle from her grasp.

"I can handle it," Terra replied firmly, attempting to reclaim the handle that she'd recently lost to her senior. Kefka finally let go, walking over to the other side of the trunk to seize its other end.

"Well, at the very least let me help you with it," he insisted. "Else you'll hurt my feelings."

He winked, and Terra couldn't help but smile despite herself. Carefully the two lifted the trunk and made their way to the end of the hall, which ended upon a narrow door leading to an equally narrow stairwell.

"Allow me the honors," Kefka said, smirking slightly as he moved towards Terra's end of the trunk. He began to give it a hearty shove before turning to face her seriously. "You don't have anything breakable in here, do you?"

"Um, no—" Terra replied quizzically, struggling to remember what all she packed.

"Oh, good." With that, he gave the trunk a forceful shove and allowed it to to plummet down the stairs into the darkness below.

"It's easier that way," Kefka reassured her upon noticing her look of horror.

"If you say so," she murmured, unsure whether his methods were truly ethical.

"C'mon, let's head down ourselves," Kefka said finally, making a motion towards the staircase and gesturing for her to follow. "Cid and Celes are already waiting for us."

Terra barely nodded as she followed her optimistic friend down the darkened stairs.

"Don't look so glum," he soothed. "Today should be a joyous day! We're going to be leaving! Aren't you excited?"

"Mmm, yes," replied Terra, after having debated his question for a moment. It's just—I'm nervous, I guess."

"Ah, everything'll be fine. You'll see," he reassured her. He carefully stepped around the two trunks that remained mangled at the foot of the stairs, both much more dented than they had been upon their descent. "Once we get out of here we'll be free! That's what you've always wanted, right?"

Terra didn't know what she wanted, to be entirely truthful. So far her life had been built on an imaginary world filled with lies and false emotions; she didn't know how she'd do without those things in a real world.

They rounded a few halls, each one darker than it should've been at that hour, before finally coming upon the foyer of the massive research facility. Even from afar Terra could make out the slumped figure in a lab coat to be Cid, though she certainly couldn't recognize the man in front of him. Both men broke from their conversation upon the arrival of the two adolescents.

"Ah, here they are," Cid announced, smiling broadly and reaching for Terra's forearm to bring her before the unknown man. A smile lit his lips, however, just like everything else about him, it seemed far from genuine. Dark locks remained slicked to one side of his head, and eyes of a deep, steel-blue met hers. Due to his dress code Terra could only assume that he were an imperial soldier, though she found it impossible to discern his rank.

"This here is Terra," Cid explained, gesturing towards the girl before inclining his head towards the lanky blond standing behind him. "And Kefka. The two that'll be leaving us today."

A look of hunger bore into the eyes of the soldier, one that couldn't help but cause Terra to cringe.

"Ah, the magic users," he said, in a deep voice that seemed to rattle Terra's breath from where she stood. "Yes, welcome to the empire. We've been rather eager for your arrival into our folds."

A frown attempted to form upon Terra's face from being addressed as a "magic user," though she thought that would fail to bring about a good first impression and offered him a rather forced smile despite herself. Something about the general Zertanik seemed to radiate all throughout him, though she couldn't quite place her finger on why. The tension in the air failed to go unnoticed, for Cid clapped his hands loudly to break up whatever staring contests had taken place.

"This is the courier who'll be taking you guys to the palace, see," Cid informed them. He then turned to face the man. "The kids have their trunks packed upstairs, if you'd like I'll go ask Terra to—"

"No, they're down here," Kefka replied. For the first time all eyes turned upon him, causing the teen to grin broadly.

"What do you mean 'down here?' They're too heavy, surely you couldn't have carried them all on your own," Cid murmured.

The blond shook his head. "Nope, I left them at the bottom of the stairs." When no one looked convinced he further added, "If you want proof I'd be happy to show you, they're right down there, you see—"

A hearty laugh escaped the courier, which caused Kefka to merely raise a brow in response. Terra was partly relieved to see Kefka wasn't all that enthralled with the man either, and she would've been just as excited to leave the man as she was to enter the palace.

"Well, no worries. I'd gladly move them. I brought a few men who'll take care of that for me," he explained. Slowly the guard shifted to the front double door, his brows furrowing before glancing back to face the others. "If you all would just follow me, I'll show you to the carriage while your things are being moved."

Any color that had managed to retain itself within Terra's cheeks immediately fled. Her heart beat frantically in her chest as she turned around to face the others, her gaze traveling from the girl whom she considered like a sister and to Cid, the only parent-figure she'd had. Tears had formed within Celes's eyes and parted ways down her powdered cheeks, yet she didn't allow the sobs to come forth and take hold of her. For one long, excruciating moment none could do anything other than stare at one another, each set of eyes holding emotions that were the very same. It was Celes who reacted first, making a motion towards Terra before wrapping her arms around the young girl's neck. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been embraced by the blond, since Celes wasn't a real touchy kind of person, though she gratefully returned the embrace all the same. Sobs began to manifest themselves inside Terra's chest, and she had a hard time keeping her composure.

"I'll miss you," Celes murmured, her voice muffled from the folds of Terra's dress. "Take care of yourself now, alright?"

When Terra opened her mouth to speak, no words came out. Instead she merely nodded, hoping that would be enough to suffice her response. At last the girl finally let go, turning to Kefka hesitantly before giving him a curt nod.

"I know better than to approach you," Kefka muttered with a slight sigh. "But if you _volunteered _I'd be more than happy to give you a hug good-bye. After all, who knows when next time'll be when we should meet, hmm?"

Celes scoffed, crossing her arms and shaking her head fervently. For a moment Terra had thought the two would depart with the fuels of their feud still burning between them, though she was increasingly surprised when Celes actually stepped forward and slid an arm across the young teen's shoulders.

Words had been exchanged, though Terra couldn't decipher them from where she stood. She heard Kefka murmur "I know" once, though that was all that she could hear from their conversation. Finally they drew away from one another, fixing each other with a thorough stare before Celes finally returned to Cid's side. It was rare that Celes would ever display her feelings so openly, and it slightly frightened Terra that she chose to just then.

"I'll walk you guys out," Cid offered, before turning to the girl alongside him. "You coming, Celes?"

Eyes wide, the blonde shook her head, silky bangs falling from her barrettes and into her flushed, tear-stained face. Everyone had expected her to speak, yet she refused to. Instead she shot Terra one last, pathetic glance before darting towards the back of the research facility, and Terra could've sworn that she heard the backdoor slam. A low sigh escaped the scientist, yet he made no motion to proceed after her.

Kefka shrugged hesitantly, his eyes trailing in the direction in which the girl had fled. "Should I see what I can do…?"

"No," Cid said, shaking his head. "Let her be. She's just upset, but she'll be fine. She took it similarly when Leo left. I think she's just scared to be alone."

"You won't let her be alone…will you?" Terra asked concernedly. "I mean, will she be alright?"

Their eyes locked, and for a sole moment she thought she'd seen a look of concern flitter past his.

"Of course."

Terra only wished that his words had the power to convince her.

The three made their way out of the research facility, sunlight beaming down on them from the cloudless sky above. Excitement along with dread filled the girl, though she tried not to express it as she willed herself before the carriage; her carrier from her prison.

Kefka turned to the scientist first, offering him a slight smile as he extended a hand out to shake his.

"Thanks for everything," he said. "You did a great job caring for us...for the most part."

"Of course, Kefka. It was my pleasure." At this, the scientist pat the blond on the head before meeting his eye seriously. "Take care of yourself, now. Remember that you have limits, don't exceed them."

Kefka merely shrugged before sliding into the seat of the carriage.

"Sure."

For a long moment Terra's gaze merely burrowed itself deep into the ground, and was slightly surprised when a strong arm wrapped itself around her. She glanced up to find Cid standing alongside her. A serious expression contorted his brows, and she could've sworn that a tear began to shimmer in his eye.

"Good luck, Terra," he murmured, resting his chin into her soft locks. "You'll need it."

Terra nodded numbly, unsure of what to say when Cid pulled himself from the girl and gave her a kiss on the forehead. A weak smile managed to form on her trembling lips, before finally she managed to utter, "I'll miss you."

Color rushed into Cid's cheeks, though he merely smiled and held the door to the carriage open for Terra to climb in. "And I'll be missing you, too."

Terra collapsed down alongside Kefka in the narrow carriage. His expression remained passive, and it was very hard for Terra to discern what could've possibly been on his mind just then.

Sunlight managed to pool into the two windows of the carriage as it slowly began to pull away from the research facility, and Terra could barely make out Cid's form as they proceeded to gallop down the cobblestone streets and into the city of Vector.

**Author's Note:**

This chapter turned out to be much more challenging than I'd initially intended. I tried to capture much of Terra's emotions throughout it, though I'm half-wondering if I failed at the attempt miserably.

I intend to write about a handful more chapters for this story before it comes to its much-needed closure. I apologize for the delay in completing this story, and profusely thank all you wonderful readers who have put up with me thus far. I will likely undertake only one writing project at a time after this, since this has been utter chaos for everyone to endure.

As always, a big thank you for reading!


	22. Welcome Home

**Author's note: **hey, guys! I apologize for my insanely long hiatus. I'd been working on revising several of the earlier chapters before progressing through the story, but then decided to give up and continue instead. I then lost my motivation to continue the story, which was remedied by an excellent TV series and the epic game, _Final Fantasy XIII_.

I do hope you enjoy, and that this chapter falls similar to prior installments. If you're feeling particularly good—or bad—about it, please shoot me a review! I'm always open to constructive criticism and advice. :)

* * *

**Chapter 22: Welcome Home**

The motion of the carriage finally ceased, the shadows outside the windows coming to an abrupt halt. Terra dared to peek out of the corner of her window's curtain, and let out a tiny gasp by what she saw. It had been over six years since she'd seen the imperial palace, yet the courtyard hadn't changed a bit. The same six oak trees remained scattered amongst the yard of a pale green, finely trimmed and reminiscent to a golf court. The building was still as menacing as ever; large panels of metal intersecting to form a wall, rising high into the air before intertwining with identical metal shingles. The enormous building expanded for hundreds of yards. Terra had almost forgotten precisely how big it really was.

Terra's carriage door swung open, startling the young girl and causing her to leap back into Kefka. A familiar laugh was the response of the door attendant, who whipped his head before the door and cracked a wide grin. Relief flooded Terra as she recognized the young blond man with the buzz cut and sparkling eyes, the same ones that looked out at her every day for the last several years of her life.

"Leo!" she exclaimed joyfully, accepting his hand as he extended it to aid her out. Kefka didn't wait for anyone to open his door; he merely let himself out and slammed it shut behind him. Leo didn't stop there, however, but instead wrapped an arm under hers and swept her off her feet. For a moment he held her close, swinging her around in a tight embrace.

"My dear little Terra!" Leo cried happily in response. "Welcome to the Iron Palace! I'm very glad that you made it. I'm sure you'll be happy here." Once his eyes fell on her companion, the sparkle in his eyes nearly flickered out completely. He gently placed Terra on the grass with one arm. Kefka cautiously advanced to her side.

"Kefka," Leo spoke, his tone indifferent. "My brother, welcome. It's also wonderful to see you here."

Kefka's expression remained unchanged, eyes hard as he casually swept his golden locks away from his face. "It's a wonder," he muttered softly, eyes averting Leo's, "that you still call me 'brother,' yet you could hardly care less about me."

A dark look swept across Leo's expression. "It's not wise to dwell, Kefka. Letting go of past conflicts is the only way to move forward. I thought surely you of all people would know that."

To his great horror, Kefka only laughed, a dry, cold, laugh. "Me? Why, Leo...when did you become such a hypocrite? You think you can advise me, yet not take these words to consider your own actions?"

"I thought we were past all of this," said Leo. "You know that I am sorry."

"I know that you care very little."

Finally, the young girl had enough. She stepped out between them, hands firmly pressed against her ears. "Stop!" she cried, loud enough for anyone in the immediate area to hear. "That's enough! Please, I just want to see the two of you get along again."

Both teens contemplated the girl, each one not seeming to take her very seriously. It was Kefka who nodded in cocked respect to Leo, yet the expression on his face was menacing. "A pleasure again, Sir Leo." Placing a gentle hand on the small of Terra's back, Kefka led her away. It would've been expecting too much if Terra thought her words could get the two of them to reconcile. Mutual respect was as good as it was going to get; she would have to come to terms with that. Terra shot a somber glance in Leo's direction as they walked away. Disappointment was clearly present upon his face. She wanted to stay and say more to him, yet found herself unable to. _At least I'm here now_, she reassured herself. _There will be plenty of time to talk._

The sentry guards led Kefka and Terra across the courtyard as if they were prisoners, never stealing so much as a glance in their direction. A single guard took the rear, Terra could only assume to make sure they had no means of escape. However, she reasoned that it would take more than three tall, burly soldiers to prevent two magic users from escaping, though of course she didn't voice this. If anything, she thought of it as a reassurance.

The open doors revealed a pool of armor, worn by men and women of all ages and builds. Each face studied them and watched as they passed, yet not a single one cracked so much as a smile. Terra felt intimidated to be surrounded by so many imperial authorities, even though it wasn't long ago that she had once lived amongst them. Kefka must've sensed the young girl tense, for she felt his hand slip gracefully into hers. She smiled up at him graciously, which he returned with a sideways glance and a slight squeeze. They didn't communicate any further after that.

Every room they passed looked almost identical, with walls of steel-gray adorned with the Gestahlian flag, a black symbol upon red silk. Most rooms contained soldiers, while others held servants. If anyone was pleasantly curious about the two adolescents entering the palace, no one clearly expressed it. Instead their eyes moved over them briefly before returning to their everyday tasks; their interaction was never more.

At long last they reached a doorway where two sentry guards stood their ground. Spears were braced firmly in their hands, their poles deeply imprinting the velvet rug. The door held more authority than others, Terra noted, for reasons she was unsure of herself. After a moment, a familiar figure came into view, and instantly Terra felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. General Zertanik stood with his arms crossed in front of the door, his dark eyes gleaming between parted curtains of black hair.

"Well, well, so you've decided to bring them after all," he drawled, smiling vehemently.

One of the men leading them handed the general a note. "They are a 'special delivery' from the Magitek Research Facility."

"Indeed. I can see that."

The hand holding Terra's tightened. She glanced up at her friend to find his expression tense, his jaw set in a hard line. He held a stance that Terra defined as defensive, resting his other hand protectively on her shoulder.

General Zertanik crumbled the paper in his palm and discarded it into the corner of the room. "Very well, you are to come with me. It's time you were given the new set of rules that you're to abide by."

The idea of a 'new set of rules' didn't sit well with Terra, and, apparently, it didn't with Kefka, either. He took a step forward and didn't hesitate upon meeting Zertanik's eye.

"We're here to beginning training as Magitek Knights," he explained. "I don't think it's a matter that will concern you."

Zertanik's eyes widened, clearly surprised at Kefka's words. However, his response wasn't one that neither of them expected. He laughed coldly, chilling Terra clear to the bone.

"You're right, Palazzo, this matter concerns me none," he replied. "I am taking you to your new trainer instead. But mark my words: you'll soon wish this matter concerned me, as I am _much _more merciful than Silphana ever will be."

These words caused them to remain frozen, Kefka recovering from the shock much sooner than Terra had managed to process it. "I think we'll take our chances, thanks."

A mad grin spread across Zertanik's face, before he swept across the hall and moved towards an elevator. Terra wasn't inclined to follow, but she was pulled along by Kefka before she could retort.

Their travel was swift and silent, with not so much as a single word exchanged. It was clear to Terra that Kefka loathed Zertanik, and Zertanik was sadistically enjoying himself. The combination between the two made for an unpleasant experience.

The hall that the elevator arrived at was no different than all the others, apart from the windows that lined the wall. They outlooked the streets of Vector, a sight that raised Terra's spirits slightly. While the tension threatened to overwhelm her, she clung onto memories that brought her pleasure, hoping it would counteract her anguish by at least a fraction. Perhaps once the dreadful Zertanik was gone and they'd met this Silphana, Kefka would take her out for ice cream again. Wouldn't that be wonderful.

The general came to an abrupt halt in front of a door with the number "183" upon it. He rapped at it swiftly with his knuckles before jerking the door open without a response. "Ryna, dear, you have visitors." With that, Zertanik gave a sardonic bow to the two adolescents before gesturing towards the entrance. Kefka took the initiative and made a motion towards the door, without letting go of Terra's hand.

Terra's eyes were mildly surprised by her new surroundings as they entered the room. Concrete walls replaced the typical metallic ones, painted a soft pastel-blue. A simple wooden desk and chair rested in the center of the room, and a bookshelf lined the farthermost wall. A woman with dark brown hair sat at the desk, her posture unchanged as they entered. A scroll rested in front of her, which she scribbled upon at an alarming pace. She dipped her quill in the ink once, yet she never glanced up or took notice of them. Terra heard the door shut behind her, and, to her astonishment, Zertanik hadn't entered. This didn't disappoint her, however; the farther Zertanik was from her, the happier she was.

Moments passed before the dark-haired woman finished. She folded her paper flawlessly and set it on the desk. It was then her blue eyes moved to them, her expression unreadable. Her face displayed age, with wrinkles around her eyes and thin lips. Her olive skin was sallow, yet her posture remained upright. Terra assumed that she was perhaps in her early fifties, though she couldn't say for sure. Finally she spoke, in a clear matter-of-fact tone.

"Welcome to the Magitek Army, children," she greeted. "I hope you enjoy your time here. I'm General Silphana, and I will be training you for your future career."

She fell silent, her gaze searching them expectantly. Terra wasn't sure how to respond, namely since she never asked any questions. Luckily, Kefka had always been better at conversing. "It's nice to meet you, General. I'm Kefka Palazzo, and this is Terra Branford"—he gestured at the seafoam-haired girl—"I look forward to training with you."

A smile stretched Silphana's thin lips into a fine line. One could've mistaken the gesture as friendly, Terra perceived it as menacing. There was something too sincere and warm in Silphana's voice, yet Terra couldn't place precisely what it was.

"I'm sure you do," she said. "Now then, I have files here for both of you to review." Silphana rose from her chair, her tall frame moving to the bookshelf where she removed a thin leather-bound book. She flipped through the papers expertly before pulling out several sheets and placing them in two stacks before them. "I need you to sign it, and then we'll take the next step."

Again Kefka took the initiative. Without bothering to read what agreement he was signing, he skimmed to the last page and wrote his name clearly with Silphana's quill. It wasn't like Kefka not to question something before agreeing, but Terra reasoned that perhaps he saw no point in fighting it. Regardless of whether he willingly signed a contract or not, Kefka would be obliged to; maybe he finally broke to their will. She quickly shook her head to rid herself of this unpleasant thought.

Once the two of them had signed, Silphana tucked the papers away back into its book and snapped it shut. She then removed a folded piece of parchment from her desk drawer and sprawled it across her desk for all to see. It clearly was a map, Terra assumed of the Iron Palace. Silphana tapped a room on the fifth floor.

"This is where we are now," she explained. "Branford, your room will be on the fourth floor in this wing"—her finger traveled along the page, down a hall, before coming to a halt upon a green-colored square—"in this room. Do you understand?"

Terra silently nodded.

"And Palazzo, your room is on the same floor, in the northern sector over here." She tapped another room, this one colored red. A puzzled expression briefly crossed over Kefka's face, before he turned to her and said, "Can't I stay in the same wing?"

Silphana looked as though he'd just spat on her. "No, you certainly can't. You see, Palazzo, we have rules here, and you shall abide by them. If you don't act accordingly, and you break our rules, punishments will be handed out accordingly." She smiled at him, that same genuine smile she'd offered them earlier. "Does that answer your question?"

Kefka's face fell. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Good. I think we will get along very well. I want you two to meet me at six o' clock sharp tomorrow morning on the training grounds, here." She indicated another location on the map, outside the palace in a circular pattern. "You will wear your uniforms that are waiting in your rooms, and you will bring nothing but a notebook that I shall record your progress in. Do you have any questions?"

"No, ma'am," Terra responded softly.

Kefka looked as though he had plenty, yet something kept him from voicing them. Instead he merely shook his head.

"Excellent." Silphana clasped her hands together before continuing. "The dining hall is off the main entrance on the first floor. I'd suggest you eat your meals close to their serving times, since all of the good food's taken pretty quick." She then pulled out another sheet of paper from her desk, ignoring them entirely. Both were rather taken aback. Were they meant to leave, or were they awaiting a dismissal? Kefka chose to ask, again in Terra's favor.

"Er, was that all, General?"

When the general glanced up, a fire danced in her pupils. It subsided quickly, as she resumed her casual tone and responded, "Oh, yes; you're dismissed."

That was good enough for Terra. The two practically raced each other to the door, thrusting it open without a second glance in Silphana's direction. The hall seemed enormous now that they were alone; Terra wasn't quite sure how she managed to maneuver it at only five years old. Kefka, having seemed to read her mind, responded to her thoughts.

"We never came up here before, so it probably all looks unfamiliar to you."

"Yes," she replied simply.

Kefka's eyes critically scanned the hall, Terra following suit. Only three other people were in the hall besides them, two engaged heavily in conversation while the other stood guard on the opposite wall. Kefka slipped an arm around Terra's shoulders and pulled her close, resting his cheek against her head as he whispered, "Don't worry, so long as I'm around I'll never let anyone hurt you."

"I know," Terra replied quietly. "But I get a bad feeling about Silphana."

"She probably just takes some time warming up to, she seemed nice enough." His words were reassuring, yet his voice was indifferent.

"Do you think what Zertanik said was true? Could she be worse than him?"

Kefka opened his mouth to respond, yet no words came out. He stared into Terra's soft emerald eyes affectionately, making it hard for Terra to truly feel threatened.

"I won't lie to you, it is a possibility," he murmured. "But until I see what she has in store for us tomorrow, I can't say for sure. Don't try predicting how she'll handle us, it might just get you worked up for nothing."

He released his hold on Terra, though Terra took a moment before letting go of him. While she always tried to remain brave and strong, she feared that she always came across as cowardly and feeble. Kefka offered her a sideways grin. "Come on, get that sad look off your face and let's go eat. I'm pretty sure I remember where that dining hall was from before, and we _do _want to get there before all the good stuff's taken, aye?"

He winked at her, causing Terra to respond with a small grin. "Yeah, and risk all the tables being taken, too."

"Precisely." Kefka extended a hand towards her, which she gratefully accepted. The future looked positively terrifying, yet she kept repeating to herself, _"Nothing could compare to the Research Facility." _

Yet, at the back of her mind a tiny voice proceeded to ask, _But could the worst be yet to come?_


	23. Emotion: Magic's Greatest Stimulant

**Author's note: **Yup, two chapters in one week; what is the world coming to, I wonder? As I said previously, I've gotten a huge inspiration to finish this story. Please expect to see this story updated frequently until its completed. I'm currently on spring break from college, which has permitted a great amount of my free time to be dedicated to writing. I've actually changed my original outline for this story, but it's going in a direction that I feel is for the better. I hope you will all agree. :)

* * *

**Chapter 23: Emotion: Magic's Greatest Stimulant**

It was still dark when Kefka's alarm sounded. Groggily he sat up, confused for a brief moment where the murderous noise was coming from. The events from the previously day came back to him immediately upon seeing the room, resulting in his recollection of the alarm clock that rested on the dresser across from him. He jumped up to flip it off, his feet meeting the cruelty of the cold tile floor. There was a reason that he always preferred carpet; mornings weren't quite as torturous.

Rubbing an eye, Kefka sat back down on his bed, stealing a glance around the darkened room. It didn't consist of much, only a desk in the corner, dresser, and inn table alongside his bed. A circular rug rested before his closet door, which was the smallest storage space he ever did see. He couldn't help but laugh aloud upon opening it. It could hold only the bare minimum of clothes, and even then it was a crammed fit. Terra had teased him that he had too many clothes. He tended to think otherwise.

Five o'clock in the morning had come earlier than he'd anticipated, likely because he hadn't gone to sleep till nearly midnight. He'd stayed with Terra until she felt safe and securely tucked in her room, promising her that he'd return for her in the morning. Terra had tried to be courageous, yet Kefka could read her concern. She'd never been so isolated and alone in her life—which made him feel awful.

It was half-past five when Kefka was on his way to Terra's room, after running through the ice-cold showers and combing his hair until it pleased him. Normally he would've refused to go outdoors on such a cold day before it fully dried, though today he wasn't granted such a luxury. It'd be bad enough if they went to the training grounds at all, let alone appear late.

Terra's hall was on the opposite side of the floor. It took him nearly ten minutes to get there. Soldiers and servants surrounded him, trapping him like a sardine in a pool full of fish. It didn't matter how fast he tried to move through the hall; he was merely at the mercy of the crowd. Finally it parted enough for him to pass, though many faces frowned in his direction as he did. Kefka assumed he'd been meant to stay and wait his turn, but _ah well, _he thought, _they'll get over it sooner than later, no doubt._

To his surprise, Terra had already been waiting outside her bedroom door, hair pulled back in its usual ponytail. Her attire, however, was far from its typical; instead she wore black pants paired with an ivory shirt, and a red scarf tied around her waist. Kefka's clothing was almost identical, only his shirt had a red streak along his left side. He assumed this must be the uniform of the cadets, or—more specifically—the Magitek Army.

A small smile curved the young girl's lips. "Good morning, Kefka. Did you sleep well?"

"More or less," he replied, returning her smile before embracing her. She accepted this gratefully, nestling her cheek against his chest. After a moment he pulled her away from him, giving her appearance a thorough examination. "Well, I've got to say you hardly look like _my _Terra anymore, but I guess this is what Silphana's expecting, so you'll have to do."

His smile betrayed him, for Terra broke out into a small fit of giggles. "Just remember, you look pretty funny yourself."

"Oh, nice. Thanks."

"I'm just kidding, you know!"

"Of course."

He extended his hand towards her, which she accepted. Together they moved down the hall, at the fastest pace they possibly could. The halls had cleared some, but it still proved troublesome to maneuver faster than an ancient snail. By the time they'd reached the main hall it was already ten minutes till six. Terra shot a wistful glance towards the dining room, watching soldiers come and go in droves, each clutching delicious-smelling bread rolls. Noticing Terra's expression, Kefka hesitated. They had no time to sit and eat, that much was certain. He stole a glance at the nearest clock.

"Let's grab some bread rolls that we can eat on the way," he suggested, quickly dragging Terra in the direction of the dining hall. A huge smile lit her face.

"Great, thanks!" said Terra brightly.

"Oh, don't thank me yet," he murmured, forcing his way in line while soldiers shot him murderous looks. "We still haven't made it to the training grounds."

Terra nodded, yet her smile didn't waver. "Right."

Cutting through line did have its advantages, or at least Kefka thought so. They were in and out of the dining hall in a matter of minutes, each clutching a bread roll saturated with butter and coated with cinnamon and sugar. It was complicated trying to dash down the hall and snarf down a bread roll, but Kefka figured it was better than training on an empty stomach—apart from the fact that their hands were sticky and greasy by the time they arrived. The red morning sun barely peeked over the horizon, casting an orangey glow across the training ground and tinting Terra's hair copper. Calm winds blew their tresses and whipped their scarfs, in a temperature reminiscent to a fine spring day. In the center of the training ground stood General Silphana, her dark locks swept up elegantly from her face. From her straight posture and broad shoulders, Kefka began to reconsider her age; perhaps she was one of those individuals that merely aged fast for their years.

The woman didn't turn around at their arrival. This hardly surprised Kefka, however, considering how little attention she paid to them the day before. The two made their way across the training ground, their boots hardly sounding as they trekked through the soft soil. The training ground expanded for close to 150 yards, leaving plenty of room to run and conduct combat. Dark soil covered the ground, with light poles every dozen yards. Kefka assumed that many cadets trained regardless of weather conditions or hour, hence the lights. Right now the lights were hardly noticeable as the sun rose higher into the sky, and after only moments they began blinking out, one by one.

For long, silent moments Kefka and Terra stood, watching Silphana intently as she proceeded to write on a clipboard, seemingly unaware of their presence. Kefka let out a breath after realizing he'd been holding it. He had no idea what to expect from a training session; he'd never experienced anything like it. The closest resemblance the boy had to training was P.E. in school, which he wasn't the best at. Yes, Leo had been the athletic one, not him. Kefka was the one you'd find sitting indoors on a pleasant, sunshine day reading a novel when everyone else was running about and getting dirty. Practicing on a training ground didn't seem much different in his eyes. He expected he'd detest it nearly as much.

"You're three minutes late."

The voice startled both Kefka and Terra, causing them to jerk. Silphana's back still remained to them, clipboard in hand, yet Kefka could guess her expression from the severity of her tone.

"I'm sorry, General," Kefka spoke, choosing his words meticulously. "It would seem we got rather lost on the fourth floor."

"Did I not give you instructions, and did you not say that you understood them?" She then turned around to face them, a brow cocked in mockery. Her features were sharp, leaving all traces of kindness behind. This was how Kefka had always seen soldiers: two-faced. Why he didn't see this one coming, he was unsure. Terra shifted from foot to foot beside him, her eyes never leaving the ground.

"Ma'am, please forgive me; it won't happen again," Kefka reassured.

Silphana pursed her thin lips. "I should hope not. This time I shall let it slide, but the general punishment for tardiness is an additional hour of training at the end of sessions."

An hour?! Kefka had never heard anything more ludicrous. Of course he said nothing, and even made an attempt to keep his face neutral. The general then began circling them. The sun reflected off her pristine armor, blinding Kefka and making his eyes water.

"Now that you're both here, I'll cover our bases. We will train five days a week, Monday through Friday, from six a.m. _sharp_"—she put a great emphasis on sharp, snapping it in Terra's ear—"to one p.m. in the afternoon. Lunch is served at noon, but there'll be plenty of leftovers for the two of you. During these hours we will cover the basics of your training: combat, strategy, defense, and so on. You will also be receiving the additional Magitek training. Because we have no other magic users apart from you two, you will be learning to harness your abilities through textbooks written by scholars who've studied the magic of Espers. We're hoping that the process of using magic is similar for humans.

"You will be given reading assignments throughout the week, and I will expect you to demonstrate what you have learned in your training. Because I think it's important for our Magitek Knights to be well-rounded combatants, I will integrate your mage skills with physical combat. You will learn how to efficiently wield a sword and bow. Horseback riding lessons will also be provided once weekly, by someone other than myself."

Kefka wasn't yet sure if this was a good or bad thing. _So long as I'm not riding with Zertanik, I think I'll be pretty happy,_ he thought.

"I will admit, I want to see sufficient progress. I will record what you've done in your notebooks, but I will see to punishment if I don't notice the progress that I'm expecting. It is important that you study your textbooks on magic, and truly try to adapt the skill. While I am training you in other fields, magic is what your purpose is. My punishments vary, but"—she paused, throwing a glance in Kefka's direction, the fire in which he'd seen before danced in her pupils again—"I can assure you that they won't be pleasant. I would suggest you refrain from them as much as humanly possible.

"So, do you have any questions?" She turned to them expectantly, scanning them like criminals. Terra was noticeably trembling. Her pale hands were clenched tightly into fists pressed against her sides. A soft lock of hair fell over her face, accentuating the fear that was present on her face.

"I think we'll manage, thanks," Kefka replied. "If I think of something, I'll be sure to shoot it your way."

Her dark eyes flashed dangerously. "As you insist. However, I'd suggest you ask the question _before _you break the rule, Palazzo. Just so you know."

Silphana then took several paces away from them, setting her clipboard on a bench before retrieving several sheaths and shields. She beckoned them forward.

"Here's your shields and swords; use both equally. Do not favor your shield, but don't arrogantly forget it. Both are needed in quality combat, which we will conduct here," she explained as the two accepted their sheath and shield. Before fastening the sheath in place around his waist, Kefka withdrew his sword. It wasn't anything particularly special, just a simple steel blade and leather-bound hilt. Its blade gleamed in the sunlight, again blinding him.

"Excuse me, General Silphana," Terra spoke, "but won't we need armor?"

A wolfish smile spread across her face, one Kefka thought didn't belong on her. "No, my dear girl; not yet."

Kefka pretended the tension in the air didn't exist.

They secured their sheaths around their waists, as well as fastened their shields to their left arms. The shields appeared flimsy to Kefka, yet they glistened with an odd iridescent sheen, arising his suspicion that they weren't made of ordinary metal. It greatly resembled the armor Silphana was wearing; he wondered if it too were thin.

Once their equipment was properly in place, Silphana instructed them to stand directly below light poles thirty yards apart. They did as they were instructed. However, Terra somehow managed to trip over a phantom rock on her way, stumbling and falling face-first into the dirt. Kefka began to inquire if she was alright, until Silphana's warning look silenced him. No talking wasn't one of the rules she laid down, but perhaps that was one of the questions she'd expected them to inquire.

The first few hours were mainly sword drills. Silphana explained how she expected them to hold and use them. It was much more difficult than Kefka had anticipated. Leo used to always show him swords, and together the two would fight with wooden or plastic swords. However, the fencing they practiced was nothing that Silphana was teaching them. There were several times he was scolded, in harsh ways that made his nostrils flare. It was training, so naturally Kefka expected criticism. Insults and personal putdowns wasn't something he'd had in mind, and, personally, he thought they were a bit unprofessional. His snarky attitude was probably reflected in his work. If Silphana noticed, however, she chose not to voice it.

Her focus shifted from Kefka and Terra, though her eye tended to meet Terra more frequently. Kefka thought it was perhaps out of prejudice. Terra did catch on quickly, impressively so. In only an hour the young girl held her sword expertly and successfully sliced through the wooden posts provided for them. Silphana wasn't satisfied.

"Branford," she called out, marching across the field toward her. "You may be hitting your target, but I don't like your posture. Stand up straight; no enemy's going to fear you like that!"

Truthfully, Kefka couldn't imagine anyone fearing her, regardless of her stance. But, of course, he held his tongue. Terra looked at her with solemn eyes, her sword quivering in her hand. Her gaze met the hard general's, whose loathing seemed as plain as day. Silphana gripped her elbow and jerked her arm up.

"Hold out your sword, never lower it. Lowering one's sword is a symbol of hesitance or weakness, which is something you don't want."

With one last swift glance, Silphana left Terra's side. Kefka had been only partly paying attention to the exchange, and was rather surprised when Silphana came up behind him and muttered a simple, "You're learning quickly."

A compliment? Kefka turned, eyeing her curiously. When he didn't respond, she continued. "I hadn't expected a malnourished orphan from the coasts of Thamasa to be worthy of our ranks at all, and became _very _skeptical when I was told one would be leading our Magitek Knights in the future. But you"—she gave him a thorough stare, eyes calculating yet gentle—"you're...different. I can sense it. We have something very much in common, you and I. I think you'll become the exact sort of person we're looking for."

Kefka tilted his head to the side. Was this a compliment, or Silphana's form of an insult? He couldn't tell, though the flattery in Silphana's eyes made him assume the former. Mind racing, he blurted rather quickly. "Thank you, General. I hope to make you proud." He paused, lips curving slightly before adding, "But I think you're mistaken. We don't have anything in common."

Her smirk felt dangerous and threatening. "Oh, but we do. You just don't see it yet."

Kefka watched as her back retreated from him. Truly, he didn't see anything they had in common—except perhaps their desire to leave that training ground and grab some lunch. Silphana was deceiving, cunning, and—Kefka was growing rather certain—heartless. He was none of those things, or at least he didn't think so. It gave him something to muse over the rest of their practice.

The clock propped on a terrace above the training grounds struck once. It was thirty minutes until they were permitted to leave. Kefka hated to admit it, but he was already sore and tired. Perhaps it was from the lack of sleep the day prior. He'd been generally ignored by Silphana throughout their training session, with the exception of an occasional correction of his offensive, of the adjustment on how he held his bow. He'd hit very few targets, but Silphana didn't seem to care. She thought he had potential, while believing Terra had none at all.

"Okay, swords in place and shields on the ground. I want both of you to experiment with something."

She casually leaned against a light pole, the wind playfully sweeping her loose dark locks. Kefka and Terra immediately obeyed, sheathing their swords and placing their shields on the soil beside them. "Good. Now, then, have either of you ever used your magical talent?"

Kefka's eyes immediately darted towards Terra. The girl stood rooted to the spot, her eyes fixated on a place far out in the distance. Her expression was blank, yet perfectly readable to the teenage boy. She was remembering the time she'd fried the sentries to a crisp in Cid's research facility, an experience she so deeply regretted. At first Kefka thought it'd be wisest if she didn't admit to this incident, but, at the same time, perhaps it was worth proving to this brutal woman that there was something she could do. A silent tear rolled down Terra's cheek, streaking the fine layer of dirt on her pale skin.

"I—I did perform magic...once," she muttered. "But it was by mistake."

"Ah," Silphana replied. "Unintentional magic provoked by emotions, some of the most powerful of them all." Her gaze shifted towards Kefka. "And you?"

"Nothing," he stated flatly. "Not even felt a pulse of magic." This wasn't entirely true, he'd _felt _things, things he'd care not admit to. But what Silphana didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Besides, he took pleasure in the thought of surprising her one day.

"Very well. I want you both to experiment with your magic. Here and now."

Silphana brought forth a scarecrow. It looked ludicrous, dressed in cloth and simple armor with a helmet that tilted its head precariously to one side. Kefka snickered, which received a glare from his trainer.

"I've been given word that Branford wields the power of fire, and that you, Palazzo, can tap into all of the elements evenly," said Silphana.

"I don't know what I can wield yet, since I haven't tried anything," Kefka said, feeling like he was repeating himself.

Silphana chose to ignore him. "I want you both to ignite this scarecrow. Do it successfully, and I'll offer you a little something."

_That's certainly a surprise_, Kefka thought idly to himself. He didn't think Silphana capable of rewarding anything other than sneers and scowls.

Both stared at the scarecrow, the wind rustling its oversized garments. Neither knew where to begin. Foolish hand waving and shouting seemed like something from storybooks; real magic probably didn't work that way. Finally Terra spoke, the sound of her voice catching Kefka by surprise.

"I'm afraid I don't remember how," Terra admitted.

"And I'm afraid I can't help you. From the research we've conducted, everyone uses their powers in their own way, in their own time. No one unleashes, or triggers, their abilities in the same manner. For instance, some magic may be induced out of fear, while another individual may release power out of anger. Only you will learn how you wield your magic, and the only way to learn is through trial-and-error," Silphana said.

Kefka continued concentrating on the scarecrow, thinking hard. How would one use magic? He never found himself contemplating this before. Emotion-induced magic was some of the strongest, Silphana had said; it sounded easy enough. The difficult part was inducing the strong emotions, or at least Kefka thought so. He tried to think about different moments, feeling particular joy or sorrow. However, nothing but an indifferent urge of attacking Silphana and burning her to ashes seemed to overcome him. And he had enough sense not to enact on that mad desire.

He'd been so busy thinking about emotions and strange pulses of feelings he couldn't discern that it took him a moment to realize that the scarecrow was already on fire. Smoke billowed into the air as the fire started to spread, burning the scarecrow's clothes to blacken ash and igniting the untouched hay. Kefka tore his shocked face to glance at Terra, who stood as still as stone. A single hand was gently outstretched. Tears streamed down her face, eyes red and glassy. It was an odd sight to behold, and yet she'd successfully ignited it.

"How did you do that?!" he asked. "Maybe you can help me!"

Terra shook her head violently, causing tears to fall from her chin. "I can't help you because we don't have the same emotions. I act on fear, but you're never afraid. There must be something else that will trigger your magic."

Silphana, who Kefka had expected to be impressed, tightened her lips into another thin line and crossed her arms. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Fear," she repeated, eyes darting between the scarecrow and the young mage. "You use fear to release your magic."

Then she laughed, a hard cold laugh that gave Kefka goosebumps. "Oh, my dear girl. My poor, dear, Terra, true power isn't released with fear. The power you just displayed is self-defense, not deadly. Not the kind I'm looking for."

A loud _boooong _resounded through the training field, causing all three of them to glance up towards the clock. It was one o'clock at long last. Their training session was officially over. Throwing Terra one last sharp glare, Silphana turned to pick up her chart and two notebooks.

"This session has concluded, you will be back here tomorrow at six, where we will resume our Magitek training."

After scribbling in both notebooks, she handed one to each of her trainees. "Books are waiting for you in the library, just tell them who you are and they'll know what to give you. These cover the brief elements of Espers and magic. You would do well to review them carefully."

Since they'd both learned yesterday that Silphana never excuses anyone, they turned to leave. Just as Kefka reached the border of the training ground, however, Silphana spoke. "And Palazzo, I want you to be thinking about what emotion fuels your magic."

Slowly Kefka turned, his blue eyes meeting her until the sun reflecting from her armor again blinded him, causing his gaze to fall to the ground. "Maybe I don't have what it takes." When Silphana continued to stare at him, he added: "Terra uses fear, and she herself pointed out that I don't fear much. I can't trigger emotions from fear to use my magic."

Silphana just laughed, causing him to frown slightly. "Palazzo, didn't I tell you that we have something in common? After the brief while I've spent with you, I can already tell rage is one of your strongest emotions. If you can tap into that..." A slow smile spread across her face. "Try it; the results might be promising."

Kefka didn't respond. He just whipped around and continued walking away.


	24. Vengeance

**Author's note: **Hello again; I hope you've enjoyed the frequent chapter updates this week. Much to my dismay, my free time will be constrained once more, and again I'll be at the mercy of writing in the dead of night and between excuses from the dinner table. :P I will, however, make a strong effort to continue updating this story at least once every other week, if not once weekly. I've really enjoyed writing this story again, and I would like to see its completion at long last. And I'm sure you would, too.

Also, a huge thank you goes out to Dea Noctis for all the lovely reviews and encouragement. :)

* * *

**Chapter 24: Vengeance**

Weeks turned into months, and Terra's magic continued to grow. Very soon she'd learned to cast advanced fire spells, making progress that most hadn't thought possible. She'd completed every task Silphana placed in front of her, only hesitating when something was beyond her physical endurance. And even then, that rarely stopped her. Kefka noticed her white lips and dark circles under her eyes after each training session, once taking it upon himself to inform Silphana that she wasn't well enough to train the next day.

"Oh, she'll be just fine after a good night's rest," she replied smoothly, disregarding the poor magic user entirely. "She will not find respite in a war surrounded by armed men, therefore she needs to learn something called 'endurance' if she wants to survive."

As Terra excelled in her magic, Kefka hadn't progressed at all. He'd been practicing magic for several months, and he still failed to conjure a simple flame upon a candlestick. Frequently Terra would find him pouring himself over textbooks in the library into late hours of the night. He'd already read the book Silphana had provided him, as well as other texts written by scholars of the mighty power. And yet, he couldn't use magic. At all.

"It's all based off emotion," he'd told Terra exhaustedly, as she inquired once more why he couldn't conjure a spell. "And, apparently, I don't have the emotions required."

"You'll find it," she reassured him. "You've just got to find 'your' trigger, then you'll be unstoppable." Terra never admitted this, but this was what she was afraid of. She feared that he would indeed find his trigger, but that it would be the one Silphana had predicted: fury. Kefka was a complex character with many sides and qualities. Most of these Terra enjoyed, yet some made her cringe. It was well-known that Kefka was extremely competitive, and would become ruthless in argument. The only times Terra truly avoided Kefka was when he was irritable or angered; she couldn't imagine how frequently he'd reflect this if the key to summoning his magic was channeled through such emotions.

The hour had grown late, and the library was closed to visitors. The sitting room conjoined to the library, however, was open at all hours, which was where the blond cadet sat underneath a lamp reading. A stack of books sat on the coffee table beside him, each relating to magic of some kind. Terra stealthily entered, leaving the library door ajar. She stood watching him for a moment before sighing. "Kefka, it's late."

Jerking slightly, Kefka looked up, his eyes red-rimmed from weariness. "I know. And I used to stay up reading all the time."

"Only absentmindedly," Terra reminded him. "You've never concentrated on a constructive piece of writing for longer than an hour."

A grim smile stretched his lips. "This is true."

Terra crossed the room and plopped down on the couch beside him. She propped her chin in her palm, her elbow digging into his knee. "You've studied extensively for weeks. You probably know more about magic than this entire castle combined."

"True again."

"So, why spend endless nights studying? It won't help you any." Terra tilted her head up to glance at him, smiling slightly. "You're focusing in the wrong places."

To her surprise, Kefka slammed the book shut. It made the lampshade shudder and shed a thick layer of dust onto the table.

"Then if reading won't help me, what else will? It's not like there's any damn magic user around for me to chat with!" He thrust the book onto the floor. Terra sat rigid in her seat, her hands clutching the edge of the couch. It wasn't often he'd get so enraged in front of her. But instantly he calmed down, shooting her an apologetic look.

"I'm a magic user," she said softly. She felt Kefka's gaze beating down on her, yet she didn't glance up. The heat generated from the dozen lamps overlooking sofas and chairs was started to get to her. It didn't take long before she broke into a sweat, though part of this might've been from the tension filling the air like a puff of smoke.

Kefka expression shifted from seriousness to sly in a matter of seconds. He threw an arm over her shoulders. "Yeah, I keep forgetting about you, which is pretty silly considering you're a rather talented one." He cocked a brow, a wide grin replacing his temporary scowl. "So, then, O' Powerful One, what advice would you offer me?"

Terra giggled shyly, color quickly rising to her cheeks. "Well, I already gave it."

"You have?"

"Emotions," said Terra seriously. "Like you said yourself, magic has everything to do with emotions.

A low groan escaped him. He brought a hand up to massage his temples. "But Terra... We've been through this."

"No, you won't explore any other emotion besides fear," she corrected him. "But there's many other emotions besides that. Tell me, what is _your _strongest emotion?"

A long silence fell over them. Kefka's brow knitted together; he seemed to be deep in thought. "I guess...my strongest emotion is hope," he muttered slowly, as though these words took great effort. "But could you really call that an emotion? It isn't like fear or fury."

"But it's a start," Terra piped up. "If you could just concentrate on feeling _hopeful _during your practices, then maybe..."

Kefka interrupted her with a shake of his head. "I'm sorry, Terra. I know you're trying to help, and thank you. But I think it's going to take much more than feeling hopeful on the battlefield to get a spark out of me." With that he rose, stretching before giving her a sideways grin. "But, like you said, it's getting late. I don't think either one of us will benefit from arriving to Silphana's training session late."

He extended a hand towards her, his typical gesture. "C'mon, let's get some sleep."

Terra smiled, hiding her disappointment deep inside. He didn't take her seriously, as he did often as of late. It didn't seem to matter what she'd try to explain or express, Kefka seemed distant and unreachable, as though a barrier of ice surrounded them. She couldn't see any way to inform him of this, so she decided to drop it and take on the false pretense that everything was fine; something she frequently practiced during moments of trial or uncertainty. Strangely, she'd never had to practice it in front of him until now.

"Okay."

Terra couldn't have imagined a night greater filled with nightmares than this one, awakening to her heart hammering and cold sweat running down her face. They used to happen infrequently, yet lately they'd intensified. Each dream was vague and incomplete, but she knew that each dream always consisted of one same factor: the Esper room in the research facility. With its blank walls and cylinders of sleeping Espers, the room held terrors she'd rather not remember. Sharp teeth, a high cackle, bright colors, and the smell; it was a terrible smell. It was reminiscent to something burning and molding mixed with a sweet-smelling fragrance.

_Dreams don't mean anything, _she told herself, fumbling with the buttons of her cadet uniform as she prepared for her training session that day. She knew it was silly to dwell on them. And yet, as she absently made her way down the darkened corridors and to the dimly-lit training ground, she started questioning herself otherwise. She could excuse her visions and hearings, but how could she smell something she'd never encountered before? Did one generally _smell _things in their dreams?

Light streaked the pink sky, casting enormous shadows on the training ground. Most of these Terra recognized as the shapes of light poles or hedges, but she was surprised when she saw the shadows of three figures loom into view. She froze in her steps, tearing her gaze from the ground to look straight ahead. Kefka stood many yards before her, his back to her. In front of him Terra recognized the dark, brooding figure of General Silphana, yet the third man in dark robes alluded her. Terra breathlessly darted across the training ground, her feet soundlessly beating against the soft soil. No one seemed to notice her, as none of them glanced up. Terra could make out voices, but not what they were saying. Silently she made her way along the row of hedges, moving closer until their words were audible.

"...until she brakes," said Silphana, her expression shielded by the brilliant rays of the sun. "Surely you realize that, Palazzo."

Kefka clenched his fists, yet he didn't say a word. Terra still couldn't recognize the third figure. He was tall, muscular, and dark-haired, wearing the robes of a scholar. Readjusting the spectacles on the bridge of his nose, the man sighed.

"The girl wields magic brilliantly, remarkably so," he said, his voice deep. "Yet I'm afraid what the General says is true: magic instigated by fear has its limits. Soon she'll reach hers, and unless a traumatic event can produce another stronger emotion, she'll stay precisely where she is."

"How much can you really expect from her?" Kefka shot. "She's a thirteen-year-old girl, yet you seem to think she should have the same capabilities as a full-grown Esper. I don't see how that's fair."

"Life, isn't fair, dear," replied Silphana, in a tone mistakable for tender. "That's why compromises must always be made, and impossible expectations fulfilled."

Kefka's eyes blazed with anger. "So, what are you trying to tell me?"

"I'm just saying that I'm willing to take great lengths to make you both successful, even if you don't think it's in your best interests." She offered one of her eery smiles, sending chills down Terra's spine. "Because, while you don't seem to think your futures are important, Palazzo, I do."

A loud _boooong _that filled the grounds made Terra jump, shaking the hedge she was hiding behind. The other three instantly grew quiet; Terra was afraid to glance at them in fear that they'd heard her. Holding her breath, she crawled along the border of the hedges, hoping and praying they hadn't noticed her. Once she was a reasonable distance away, she dared a peek in their direction. None of them were looking at her. Silphana was scribbling something on her chart, while Kefka paced across the field anxiously. The robed scholar was nowhere to be seen. Carefully Terra crawled out of the hedges, brushing her pants briskly before noisily advancing to the others. She wanted to make sure they heard her coming, to hopefully remove any suspicion that she'd been there all along.

Kefka froze in his pacing, whirling around to shoot her a small smile. He did a great job of masking his expression, but inside Terra could tell he was pained. His eyes always deceived him. It took a great while for Silphana to acknowledge her presence, as usual. When she did her expression was warm, almost eerily so. She placed her chart on the bench and turned to face her.

"I'm glad you're finally here, dear," she said. "Today I have something different for us to work on."

The woman then disappeared. Terra shifted from foot to foot, as she typically did when she was nervous. When she shot a quizzical glance at Kefka, he turned away, busily studying a bush that sprouted tiny blossoms. What surprised her most was that he'd never expressed an interest in flowers before; even when she'd tried to get him to. It was clear that he knew something she did not, which irritated her slightly.

Before she could question him, however, the general returned, carrying a cage draped with a heavy cloth. It was not much larger than a bread basket. Terra tilted her head curiously as the woman set it down in front of her. Silphana's teeth glinted in the gleaming sunlight.

"You've done an excellent job of catching fire to lifeless objects, Branford. I want to commend you," said Silphana.

Stunned, Terra could only stare at Silphana without uttering a word.

"I truly believe you're ready to progress to the next level. Therefore"—she tore the cloth off the cage with a single jerk of her hand—"we shall be experimenting with this today."

Both cadets displayed surprise at the cage's contents. Kefka took a step back, a curious, unreadable expression across his face. Terra had let out a gasp and brought a hand to her mouth in horror. In the cage was a mother rabbit and her young; three small, fluffy white rabbits that Terra could only imagine cuddling. It didn't make much imagination for Terra to determine what she was going to be commanded to do.

"P—please," Terra murmured, voice weak and barely audible. "Don't make me hurt them. Please."

A bittersweet smile crossed the general's face. "Why, my dear girl, if you can't bring yourself to end the lives of these unfortunate bunnies, then how ever do you expect to bring death upon human beings?"

This was a good question; Terra wasn't sure herself. She'd always hated death and killing. Whenever she'd think about it, undesirable images of the burning sentry in the research facility fled through her mind. By then the young girl was trembling, her shield slipping from her loose fingers.

"I'm not ready for this yet. Please, don't make me kill them," she pleaded.

Silphana crossed her arms, the same smile planted on her face. She was firm on her decision; that much was certain. As was Terra. She looked at the family of rabbits. The thought of killing them tore her heart. The three baby bunnies were huddled close to their mother, sleeping soundly, entirely oblivious to the fact they were about to be burned to a crisp in a matter of moments. Terra shook her head frantically, slowly backing away.

"Do it," Silphana said, her voice losing its sugary edge.

"I can't!" cried Terra.

Silphana was not impressed. "You just don't think you can, Branford. This is your weakness. You're limited to the capabilities of your mind. In order to advance and grow you must exceed these limits. Burn them. Now."

Terra could feel her heart hammering in her chest and throbbing into her throat. The blood in her veins felt cold, her mind numb and distant. Closing her eyes, she raised a hand, feeling the fear overcome her. For several tense moments she stood, her heels dug firmly into the dirt. Her body trembled all over. At last she collapsed to the ground, falling on her hands and knees. "No! I can't do it!"

A low hiss escaped the general. With incredible speed, she swooped down beside Terra and yanked her up by her collar. "Yes, you can," she hissed lowly.

"I won't!"

Silphana shoved Terra back into the dirt with all her might, sending her chin roughly to the ground.

"I've been drilling you for this!" she exclaimed fiercely. "And this is your final warning. Do it now, or you will regret it for a very long time."

Tears streamed down Terra's flushed cheeks. Her glassy eyes wide and desperate. "I...can't...kill them. I'm so sorry."

Silphana merely pursed her lips and shook her head, letting out a low sigh. Her reaction was similar to one who'd just seen a child do a ridiculous stunt.

"Wrong answer."

Terra gasped as she felt herself lifted by the collar, only this time to be flung into the nearby wall. It was solid metal, as was virtually every structure in the imperial capitol. It stung her skin and sent painful spasms up her spine. Silphana seized her as she limply fell forward, pinning her across her chest. The grasp she had on her upper arm was painfully tight, her nail's digging into her exposed flesh. The angered general put her face right into the young girl's, her hot breath beating down against her cheeks. "I will show you what happens to people who defy me," she muttered in a warm, dangerous voice.

She raised a hand clutching a willow whip, one that Terra recognized as painful. She watched in terror, unable to tear her eyes away from Silphana's triumphant face. Her triumph, however, slowly turned to bewilderment, her whip still raised high. It took Terra a full minute to realize why, and once she had her heart filled with fear, hope, and dread.

Silphana's hand was frozen solid.

Silphana whipped her head away from Terra to stare at the teen behind her. Only a few yards away stood Kefka, eyes kindled with a fire Terra had never seen before. His sword had been flung carelessly aside, resting in the dirt where he'd left it. He was virtually weaponless, except for the magic he'd just displayed in freezing Silphana's hand. A slow smile spread across Silphana's face.

"Ah, Palazzo; you finally found your rage, and therefore your magic." Her eyes didn't hold anger, but instead, oddly enough, admiration. "It took you longer than I expected, but it appears you've finally given in and let your emotions flow."

"I'm not doing this to please you," he spat, giving her a murderous glare. "You let Terra go _now. _It is not your place to harm her."

"Oh? It's not?" Silphana asked, her tone mocking. "Why, I really think it is, but I appreciate your concern in the matter. I wonder, if I just"—Silphana took her remaining hand and grasped Terra's arm, twisting it until she howled in pain—"hurt her a little more, perhaps you'd do a few more magic tricks for me."

It was a taunt. Terra could clearly see that. Yet she couldn't get the words out fast enough to warn him. Fury drove Kefka beyond reasoning, as he unleashed a bolt of electricity through the sky. It struck Silphana's right shoulder, causing her to release her grip. She shuddered for a moment, her smug expression faltering to shock. Pale and numb, Terra crawled over to Kefka. In a single moment he had her body pressed against his, holding her close with one arm.

"I won't let her hurt you," he whispered. "I promise."

Silphana slowly rose, her hair falling out of its intricate bun into waves down her back. She shifted to face them, her expression unreadable.

"You've finally chosen to release your magic," she said, her tone indifferent. "I must say, I'm quite impressed."

The two cadets shot each other a look. Could this have been what Silphana was expecting of them? Most certainly not. Yet there she stood, looking at her two trainees with an odd admiration in her eyes.

"And I can tell that if I'd pressed Terra much farther, you would've easily killed me," she continued.

In a jerky motion, Kefka released Terra, causing her to sway on the spot. "You knew Terra wouldn't kill those rabbits, didn't you?" he accused. "You were purposely trying to enrage me to get me to use magic. That's what this was all about!"

Silphana tusked, shaking a finger at him mockingly.

"Oh, yes and no. I did know Terra wouldn't kill those rabbits, yes, but I was hoping to break her—not you. Honestly, I'd partly given up on you by this point. I know a dead horse when I see one." She slowly began to twist her hair back into its original bun. "I'd pretty much decided that you were a hopeless case today, and I was literally thinking about taking you to the emperor and explaining that Professor What's-His-Face's experiment failed. That your magic is defective. Clearly, patience was all I needed, as today you performed incredible magic for me."

Kefka gritted his teeth, glaring at the general with intense ferocity.

"However," she said, tilting her head to the side casually. "I cannot have you disrespecting me in this way. I've never allowed my pupils to threaten my life, Palazzo, and I don't intend to start to now. You will be punished for your insolence, and I'd suggest you try no more magic tricks to stop me."

"If I do?" Kefka challenged.

Her lips stretched finely as her gaze shifted to Terra pointedly. "I will involve her, and I somewhat doubt you want me doing that."

Tension aroused between the three. Terra watched Kefka with battered breath, yet Kefka remained perfectly calm. His eyes darted from her to Silphana several times before he finally said, "If I accept punishment from you, will you leave Terra alone?"

"I'm a woman of my word."

He debated this for a moment. Terra didn't want him to protect her, but she figured that defying Silphana further would only increase her wrath, and would just result in both of their punishments. Finally, the blond nodded. "Fine. Just keep her out of this."

Silphana's eyes glittered with excitement. And perhaps something more, but Terra couldn't discern what it was. "Kefka," she barely voiced, before Silphana leapt forward and seized his arm. Terra reached out for him, but her hands met Silphana's arm instead, which thrusted her back onto the ground. Kefka shot her a disapproving look.

"This should be fun," she crooned, running a finger delicately from his jawline to chin. "Don't worry, my dear girl, there'll be something left of him once I'm through with him. After all, he's too valuable to kill. He's just proven that."

Terra's heart sank as she watched Silphana place a hand delicately against his back, leading him towards the castle walls. She knew she was powerless to do anything to stop her. Powerless; just as she always was.


	25. Promise Me

**Author's note: **My apologies to those who I'd promised an update on last Sunday. I got swept off my feet by exams and thought it wouldn't hurt to delay this chapter slightly. Either way, I hope it appeals to you. Many thanks as always for reading, and strawberry muffins for those who review. Why strawberry muffins, you ask? I hardly know myself, since I don't even care for them much. It just sounded like an interesting treat to offer my reviewers for a change, haha!

I generally respond to reviewers via PM, but since I'd received a review from a guest:

**ValkyrieCeles**: many thanks for your review; I'm thrilled to hear you're enjoying the story so much! Should you decide to drop by my other FF6 stories at a later time, however, I'd like to note that they follow a much different concept—as well as timeline—from Children of the Empire. I did attempt to follow the canon storyline a bit more, so that might be to your liking. I do agree that Celes is probably OOC in regards to her short temperament, but given we have no real concept for how she behaved as a child, I thought it'd suit her well enough for the context of the story here. ;) Rest assured that she does begin to outgrow it soon, and it won't be much longer till we see our beloved Magitek knight "beneath the ice."

* * *

**Chapter 25: Promise Me**

Pacing wasn't something Terra frequently practiced. It was a bad habit of Kefka's, but never hers. Tonight, however, she'd paced her room at least twenty times before stealing a swift glance at her clock and silently whisking out the door. The guards always changed shifts at midnight; Terra knew the halls would be vacant for a brief ten minutes. Its only occupants were servants or stragglers from their rooms, but this was hardly anyone, and certainly no one Terra was concerned with.

She broke across the hall at a run. Loose strands of sea-foam-green hair whipped against her cheeks and fell into her eyes. Kefka's room was on the other side of the fourth floor, and it seemed that any moment lost—even those spent casually walking—were utterly wasted. Mostly because she'd been banned to see him, but partly because she was anxious to see that he was still whole after Silphana's punishment. The heartless general was known to be brutal; she just wasn't sure how so.

In less than five minutes she was beating on his bedroom door. Only a single maid stood in the hall, but, despite the racket she stirred, she paid the girl no heed. Only a couple torches cast a faint glow around her, which she found encouraging. Even if she were spotted, the dim lighting would've made it hard for anyone to identify her.

When no answer came after several tense minutes, Terra took it upon herself to open the door ajar. Kefka was notorious for not responding when someone would knock anyway; surely it wouldn't disturb him.

Silently she tiptoed across the tile floor, careful not to make a sound. No lamp was lit, not even the tiny flame upon a candlestick. The heavy draperies were drawn closed, not permitting any amount of moonlight to creep into the room. It was engulfed in darkness, leaving Terra unable to make anything out at all. Finally, a soft whisper across the room made her jump. "Is someone there?"

The voice was reassuring, yet Terra was still trembling from having been startled. "Yes, it's me," she barely uttered.

"Come here."

"But I can't see a thing."

She heard the rustling of blankets in front of her, then the sound of something scraping against wood; possibly an inn table. In the brief moment that Terra heard the crackling of flames and smelt the burnt candlewick, a faint orangey glow lit the room. Only a small portion of the room was visible, but at least Terra didn't feel completely blind any longer. Kefka sat on the bed in front of her, readjusting the candle on his inn table before leaning back against the pillows. He offered Terra his usual grin, yet it didn't replace the gaunt look on his face. Even in the poor lighting, Terra could tell he didn't look well.

"I thought you weren't allowed to see me," Kefka said smugly, beckoning Terra closer. She complied, sitting along the edge of his bed, her feet dangling inches from the cold floor.

"I'm not," she admitted. "But since when has that kept me from doing something that's important to me? Really, Kefka, I thought you knew me better than that!"

The blond teen laughed. "Ah, but you see, Terra, I do. I knew you'd come see me, I was just wondering what was taking you so long."

Terra playfully nudged his shoulder, to which he responded with a low hiss, reflexively bringing a hand to meet it. He tried to take his reaction back the moment he saw concern flash across Terra's expression. "Sorry, it's just a scratch, you see."

Terra, however, was unconvinced. "What did she do to you?"

In response he merely shrugged, acting as though the matter was unimportant. He stole a swift glance at the clock, then back at her. "Say, are you up for a game of checkers? Last time we played, I do believe it ended with a tie." When he noticed her studying him carefully, he reached out at tousled her hair. "Honestly, Terra. I'm fine. Please don't worry about me."

The more he said it, the more she disbelieved it. Her curiosity finally got the better of her, when she slipped her hand under his shirt and met his bare shoulder. Instantly he drew away, but it'd already been too late—she'd felt the gash. And not only one. Terra felt him shudder under her touch as she continued searching his back, which felt hot and welted. Horrified, she withdrew her hand to find small smears of blood on it.

"Kefka..."

"Oh, please," he murmured, moving just out of arm's reach, most likely so that she couldn't search him anymore. "I can handle a small whipping. It's nothing different than what I'd used to get back in the orphanage, you know."

"Those were small scars, light whippings," Terra whispered. "These are some serious gashes! How many of them?"

"I don't know," replied Kefka irritably. "Does it really matter? Ten? Fifteen?"

Tears began pooling in Terra's eyes before she could prevent them. She looked up at Kefka; her expression would've made anyone think _she'd _been the one whipped. "And it was all because of me."

Kefka's eyes narrowed slightly. "What?"

"It's all my fault," she murmured, shaking her head. "If I had just—if I'd just killed that rabbit family, none of this would've happened. It was me that she wanted punished, not you. She said it herself!"

Kefka reached out and grasped her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. "Listen, it wouldn't have mattered. _I_ was the one that threatened her life, alright? She just didn't appreciate it and decided to show me who's boss. No biggie."

"No biggie?!" she cried hysterically, leaping away from Kefka's grasp. "No biggie?! Why, Kefka, look at what she did to you!"

A low sigh escaped him. "This was _exactly _why I wasn't going to tell you. I knew you'd overreact."

"I'm so, so, SO sorry!" Terra murmured, burying her face into her hands. "Next time, I promise I'll do as I'm told. I promise."

She felt him tap her shoulder. "Hey now, don't get too subservient. Remember, we've got magic and they don't. Don't let them feel too superior over us, alright?" He laughed, though stopped quickly when he could tell Terra was unamused. Her face was still buried in her hands, her body shuddering violently from sobs. After a moment she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders, his body pressing against her side. His lips grazed over her ear as he whispered, "Everything's okay, Terra. I'm fine, and so are you. We'll make it through this. Together."

Terra allowed her body to nestle into his, removing her face from her hands and resting it against his uninjured shoulder. After a moment he brought his hand through Terra's hair, stroking the sea-foam waves he'd always cherished. The motion soothed Terra, and soon she found herself taking steady breaths. She'd wanted to wrap her arms around him, but was afraid to irritate his welted back.

"I wish it wasn't like this, Kefka," she whispered, even though she knew her words were childish.

For a moment he didn't respond, but instead proceeded to bring his fingers through her soft hair. Finally he paused, wrapping a strand absentmindedly around his finger. "I know. I wish it wasn't like this, either."

"Isn't there anything we can do, though?" she further pressed. She'd been thinking in terms of their magic. Kefka himself had said they were superior. If that were indeed true, why was it that they allowed themselves to be ruled by these tyrants?

"Not yet," he replied. "Eventually, but now isn't the time. Now we wait, and make as much as we can out of this learning experience. Maybe your magic has progressed, but I've only just begun using mine."

Abruptly Terra sat up, removing herself from his comforting grasp. She turned to look at him over her shoulder. A kind smile lit his lips.

"Promise me," Terra said seriously.

Kefka stared at her bewilderedly. "Hm? What's that, Terra?"

"Promise me that we will do something about it."

To her surprise, Kefka gave a hollow laugh. "Oh, don't worry, Terra," he said. "We'll _definitely _do something about it. When I'm powerful and famous, I shall definitely make these people pay for what they did to us. You have my word."

"No," Terra murmured slowly. "I mean, I don't want to just take revenge out on them. I want to change things."

Confusion again crossed over Kefka's expression, as though he hadn't considered anything other than making his tyrants suffer. "Change...things?"

"I want us to go out there and live a real life, away from all this," she further explained. "I want us to become the people we could've been, had we not been dragged into all of this."

The candlelight flickered, though luckily it didn't go out.

"Well, Terra, I sort of think that defeats the purpose of learning how to use our magic, don't you?" Kefka tilted his head. "I mean, after all, I'd hate to put this Magitek infusion of Cid's to waste."

"It wouldn't be a waste," Terra declared. "It's just...well, wouldn't _you _like to be normal, Kefka?"

The blond stiffened, his expression unreadable. "What do you mean by becoming 'normal' exactly?"

Terra blushed, turning her gaze to the ground. "Sorry, I didn't mean that you aren't normal. I'd just meant, wouldn't you like to live a normal life, like normal people? The ones in storybooks?"

"Those are just books," he murmured. "There's a reason they're fictional. None of that stuff's real, not like I used to think it was. Happiness, love, contentment. It's all a matter of who's on top, or, perhaps more specifically, the one with the most power."

Truthfully, Terra thought all of those things were real. Happiness, love, contentment... She'd experienced each and every one of those feelings; at least with him. It surprised her to think that he hadn't. She thought that perhaps he had, but he merely hadn't acknowledged it.

"You've never felt any of those things before?" she asked softly.

Irritated, Kefka merely looked away from her, into the darkness of the room. "Oh, I have, but I... No, not the way I _should _be feeling them. It's complicated, you wouldn't understand."

A frown creased Terra's forehead. "Since when have I not understood?"

"Just forget I said anything, alright?" He leaned back against the pillows, and even in the wane light Terra could tell his face was pained. He took a few deep breaths before exhaling dramatically and responding, "I promise, Terra."

The girl blinked, leaning across the bed towards him.

"You do?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I promise that, someday, we're going to leave and be 'normal' people. Okay?"

Her heart started to beat wildly in her chest. "Oh, Kefka, really? You really mean it?"

She must've appeared a little too eager, for Kefka laughed and shook his head. "Yes, I really mean it. Seriously, you act as though I've never made a promise before." Suddenly he winced, shifting slightly. Terra's expression darkened.

"How bad is it?" she asked.

"Not very," he murmured faintly. A relatively useless answer. She could tell his condition was far worse than he was leading on.

"Have you at least medicated it?"

Kefka merely shrugged. "Not an easy task to do myself, given it's all on my back."

"The young girl contemplated him for a moment, bringing a delicate hand to her chin. "Well, I could treat it for you," she said slowly.

"Would be nice," replied Kefka, a grim smile playing against his lips. "Apart from the fact we have no medication to begin with."

"I could get some."

Kefka stared at her briefly before shaking his head. "It'd be complicated to find some, plus it's not really that necessary. I'll be fine without it."

But Terra was a relatively stubborn person; not one easily appeased. She didn't wish to see her friend suffer, and she knew what a deep, untreated wound could do. She hadn't had one herself, but she'd seen some of the soldiers return from combat in terrible shape. They'd failed to treat their wounds for days. Needless to say the results weren't desirable. It was difficult to determine whether Kefka's could turn out quite as nasty—red, inflamed, infected, and oozing with greenish puss—but she didn't really want to take the chance that it could. It was simple enough to prevent.

"No, I'll get you some," Terra reassured him. "You need these lashes treated, or else they might not heal for a long time."

A stubborn look flashed across Kefka's face. He opened his mouth to argue, but then closed it again and offered her a twisted smile. "I would assume words of persuasion would be deaf to your ears?"

"Exactly," she affirmed.

Defeated, Kefka bowed his head, looking anywhere but her. "Fine, but it's late. Don't get yourself caught." He tilted his head to the side curiously. "And, uh, where do you intend to find this 'medicine' of yours?"

This was something Terra hadn't given a great deal of thought to, yet it was an entirely valid question. Where _would _she find it? Surely not in the ward, as that would attract many questions and curious glances at that hour of the night. She supposed that there was likely a store of medical supplies located somewhere for cadets or servants; it couldn't have been entirely closed-off to the public.

"I'll figure something out," said Terra. "You wait here."

Her statement clearly aroused his attention. The blond immediately sat bolt upright, his expression forming protest before his words had. "I'm perfectly well to come with you—"

"No, Kefka, I'm doing this alone."

"I don't feel comfortable with you wandering the halls by yourself. There's"—he paused, wincing slightly—"all kinds of stalkers and soldiers lurking around here. I'd prefer to come with you."

"But _I _don't feel comfortable with you tagging along," she said forcibly.

Perhaps it was her tone that caught him off-guard, making him back off and digress. Normally the girl would listen to what he had to say; it wasn't often that she'd object quite as brashly. That, or perhaps his own pain reminded him how miserable his trip to this medical storehouse would be. "Fine. But if you don't return in about twenty minutes, I'm searching this place high and low to find you."

A mischievous expression washed over Terra's face as she stood up and crossed to the door. "Then I'd better hurry."

Silently she exited, not waiting to hear Kefka's response. Surely he'd try to come up with some method of stopping her if she gave him the chance to. The hall was just as dark as she'd left it, yet it still felt more foreboding. Perhaps because there wasn't a single living soul visible as there had been earlier. Not even the whispers of life could be traced. A chill ran down Terra's spine, recalling Kefka's words of warning. Truthfully, she hadn't wandered around the palace at this hour; she'd never had the requirement to. She'd always been accompanied by _someone_, and even then it was always early in the night, not at the heart of it.

Her footfalls were the only sound that echoed across the metallic walls. Had their been more decor, the place would've felt slightly livelier. The surrounding metal as it were, however, held a sterilized unfamiliarity. One that a person could never adapt to, regardless of how long they tried. She hadn't the slightest clue where to begin searching for a medicine storehouse, if—a thought Terra tried her mightiest to ban—there even was one. Her knowledge of the fourth floor was relatively slim. Apart from her visit to the library, a fellow cadet's room, and a living area, everything was foreign to her. With every door she passed, she contemplated, wondering if it were indeed a medicine storage or perhaps a supply closet. Peeking in places she didn't belong wasn't something she was fond of, nor very good at. That was another trait of her beloved best friend's, not hers.

After ten minutes of wandering, Terra came to the double doors of the elevator. It was perhaps one of the only elevators in the continent. Even the Magitek Research Facility, as fine and expensive as it was, lacked such a device. Or, at least Terra had never seen one during her residence there. She extended a hand and grazed its control panel, fingers halting at the lower arrow. She could try heading to the ward. Even _if _a nurse or doctor questioned her, she could easily explain a friend of hers having a simple cut.

Only a second before she inserted pressure on the arrow button, the control panel became aglow. She heard the interior of the metal doors shift and groan before they thrust themselves open before her. Every muscle in her body tensed, her lips instantly numbing.

Much to her surprise, it wasn't a stalker, nor a soldier whom she should fear. It was Leo. The blond had recently gotten another buzz cut, making his hair seem even more bristly than it once had. It appeared that Leo had been half-asleep, for initially he hadn't even noticed Terra as he began exiting the elevator. As he passed, however, he couldn't help but stop and stare at her in shock.

"Terra," he breathed, seemingly lost for words. "What the—why are you out this late?"

"I"—she froze mid-sentence. Should she tell him? After all, Leo would immediately guess who this mysterious injured figure was. And Terra wasn't permitted to see him. Leo never would've approved. Yet, Terra had to admit she'd never find the medication she desired; it was only fortune that brought Leo to her in the dead of night, on a floor that he didn't reside on. Finally, words returned to her, only different ones than she'd initially intended. "Never mind me, what are _you _doing on this floor, at this hour? You don't live here."

If the question caught him off-guard, he was clearly well at guarding his surprise. "No, I don't live here, but that doesn't mean I'm not permitted to guard this hall. Let me return to my question now: what are _you _doing? It's not safe to be wandering these halls at night."

"What, even with guards like you on the loose?" Terra couldn't help but blurt.

Leo merely sighed and shook his head. "Not every guard is as trustworthy as me."

She chose not to question him further; she didn't really want to know why this was.

"For some reason I think you're avoiding my question," he said impatiently.

Terra bit her lip, unable to withhold her intents any longer. "Kefka's hurt. I'm looking for medication to disinfect his wounds."

Concern lit Leo's expression, and for a moment Terra thought the cool and collected soldier was alarmed. "Is he okay? Where is he?" He glanced around her, as though Kefka would visibly be bleeding to death in the hall.

"No, he's okay, it's just"—could it be possible Leo didn't already know?—"he'd gotten in a quarrel with General Silphana, and she punished him. Terribly. She whipped him."

Leo turned away, eyes darkening. Terra waited silently for a response, though he seemed to be deeply lost in thought. His jaw clenched, his hands tightening into fists. "Leo...?"

"I'll go to him," he barely murmured, whipping passed her in the direction of Kefka's quarters.

Terra confusedly whipped around. "But, wait! Can't you at least tell me where I could find the medicine?"

Leo paused, his back facing her. His tall, muscular figure looked far more intimidating in the dark, she thought. "It's alright, I'll take care of it from here. I think...I should be the one to see him."

Truthfully, Terra wasn't certain that would be the best course of action. After all, Kefka and Leo weren't exactly on the friendliest of terms. In recent days, Kefka's refused to utter Leo's name, much less speak to him.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." His tone held malice, which caught the young mage by surprise. "Now go to bed, Terra. I promise he'll be fine"

Speechless, Terra watched as Leo walked away, his form fading into the dark of the night. Seeing Leo angry frightened her. Normally he was the most level-headed of them all; she couldn't recall the last time he'd lost his temper, much less over something such as this. Whatever the case might've been that heated the man, Terra deduced, it must've been something serious. Though, truthfully, Terra couldn't imagine what it was.


	26. The Phantom Assassin

**Author's note: ** And here is the latest fabrication of my imagination, dear readers. I do apologize for its shortness in length, but I simply _had _to end it with this cliffhanger, and didn't want to extend the length in unnecessary places. So, I do hope you can pardon a short read just this once. The plot is still continuing forward, as this chapter demonstrates. I can't quote precisely "when" this story shall reach its closure, but just know that the end is drawing near-

Perhaps faster than you think.

**Mariazinha**: Thank you very much for your reviews! It's wonderful to hear that you're enjoying my story so much. As for whether I go beyond friendship concerning Terra and Kefka, well, I'm afraid you will have to wait and see. ;) Also, I'm glad to hear that you enjoy that particular pairing, as it is one of my personal favorites as well.

* * *

**Chapter 26: The Phantom Assassin**

Silently the young commander strode across the corridor, in strides that brought him to the other end in a matter of moments. Suspicion of others was something that he'd never entertained. Never would he allow himself to be swallowed up by the latest gossip or question another's honestly. No, Leo was a noble young man, who trusted one to the brink of his own demise. When whispered rumors arose after the tragedy that befell General Silphana in the armory, Leo chose not to question them. Whoever the murderer was had come and gone—he figured the identity of this wrongdoer would never be revealed.

That was, however, before he'd learned precisely _what _occurred before her death. And who the last soul was that had seen her alive.

With a heavy heart, Leo rapped his knuckles on Kefka's door. He was well aware that Kefka scarcely answered, so he entered casually. Leo could hardly make anything out due to the darkness of the room. A single candle was lit upon an inn table, yet the light it shed was limited, and it didn't aid Leo's vision from having just exited a finely lit hall. He did, however, see the silhouette of his friend shift in front of him.

"I must say, that was relatively fast." Kefka snatched the candle from the inn table and extended it towards his visitor. "Where did you find it?"

Kefka's delighted expression fell into one of great disappointment upon realizing the face illuminated by the candle didn't belong to his precious Terra, but Leo instead. A low muffled groan escaped him. "Oh, bother. What do you want?"

Leo's expression remained unchanged. He carefully made his way to his friend. His pupil's began to finally dilate, making the room's shapes and shadows more distinguishable. Kefka was sitting shirtless on the bed, and even from this angle Leo could tell he wasn't feeling well. Dark circles haunted his wane face, his back welted and an angry shade of red.

"Nothing, honestly," replied Leo. "I ran into Terra in the hall, and she told me what happened."

The blond teen turned, muttering something unintelligible under his breath.

"I really had no idea she'd whipped you," he continued. "And I'm sorry."

When no response came, Leo tentatively sat on the edge of Kefka's bed. He didn't act bothered, so Leo decided his approach was accepted.

"You really have no idea how that affected me," Kefka murmured.

Shrugging slightly, Leo crossed his ankles, his steel armor clanking softly. "Actually, I think I do."

This caused Kefka to turn his head, eyeing him with a peculiar expression Leo couldn't quite place. "You think so, do you?"

"I know what it was like for you before," said Leo. "Back in Thamasa. And I'd assume—no, I'm sure—this did nothing but bring back dreadful memories for you."

Kefka let out a low, battered breath.

"It brought everything back, Leo. Everything. And much more."

"I know, and I am sorry."

For a moment the two merely sat there silently. Kefka's gaze had veered from Leo, which now remained fixated on the dancing flame upon the candlestick. It was apparent to Leo that Kefka was not himself, only Leo wasn't quite sure how much so.

Finally, Leo spoke. "Look, I know that you'll always be troubled by the past, and I can't blame you. I've never lived it, so I can't fully know what it's like. But listen to me"—Leo placed a hand on Kefka's bare shoulder, to which he grimaced yet met his eye—"I know it was terrible for you, and Silphana giving you such a punishment did nothing but bring it back. And yet, Kefka, sometimes you've got to create barriers in your own mind, and let go of past events and move forward."

"Move...forward?" His brows creased in confusion. "You mean, like forget it?"

"No, that's not what I said nor meant," said Leo, shaking his head. "What I'd meant was that sometimes you've got to let things roll of your back, don't internalize it into something dreadful and react equally bad."

For a moment Kefka became stock still, even his labored breathing ceased. "To what are you implying, Leo?"

He'd sensed it. Leo had said too much. The young commander straightened, removing his hand from Kefka's shoulder.

"I'm just saying, Kefka, you have to learn to control yourself. You can't just lash out at people because they do something you don't like. It's a bad habit, and you've got to nip it. Fast. If you don't, well, I'd hate to see what happens to you one day."

"Buuuut, you're not making any sense at all, mate." Kefka tilted his head to the side. "Just what did you hear or think I did?"

_That's Kefka_, Leo thought distraughtly, _no subtlety, sharp, and straight to the point. _Subconsciously, Leo rose a hand to massage his temple. "This is why I sometimes hate talking to you. You misunderstand things so easily."

"No, I don't. You're accusing me of something," snapped Kefka. "And, now that you've brought it up, I think I deserve to know precisely what it is."

"Never mind," muttered Leo irritably. "Can't we worry about your back first? I heard that you didn't apply any medication to the wounds yet."

"And where did this come from, I wonder?"

Leo conjured a small bottle of what must've been medication from inside his pocket, along with a simple white rag. "May I?"

Stubborn like a young child, Kefka crossed his arms and scowled. "No, not until you tell me whatever it is you're hiding from me."

Leo merely shook his head and yanked the younger blond by the arm. "Stubborn, as always. Just let me get you fixed up, alright? Then we can talk."

There was no protest left that Kefka could conjure. Defeated, he begrudgingly lied on his stomach, drawing his long hair away to fully expose his back. Leo had a hard time looking at it; the lashes were deep and plentiful. Silphana definitely had experience with a whip, he had to give her credit on that account. There were probably at least eighteen lashes—if not twenty—on his pale flesh, each deep and incredibly long. Some were still bleeding, while others had started to crust over with a temporary scab, yet even those could begin bleeding with the simplest of motions. Leo drew in a breath, then got to work.

Kefka continued to lay there impressively still, and, much to Leo's surprise, quiet. A few times he'd hissed when Leo applied medication, though nothing more than that managed to escape his lips. Leo tried to be gentle, though sometimes even the touch of the damp cloth made him react. It was a long, laborious task, one that Leo spent nearly an hour on. Yet Leo was dedicated; he didn't stop until the very last lash had been lubricated.

"You...still care, don't you?" Kefka asked indifferently, almost in surprise.

"Yeah, you think I'd waste my time doing this at four in the morning if I didn't?" Leo screwed the lid back on the bottle of medication, his gaze sweeping Kefka over one last time to be sure he'd gotten every spot. "I think that's everything. Sorry it stung."

"Oh, well, it can't be helped." Kefka rose, rotating his shoulders while grimacing. "Besides, better this than infection. Thank you. I...really appreciate it." And gauging by the sincerity of his tone, Leo thought Kefka truly meant it.

"You're welcome."

The room hardly appeared dark to Leo anymore. At first he thought this was because his eyes had merely grown accustomed to the dark, but later he realized some light began peaking through the slightly parted curtains. Kefka studied Leo curiously, his gaze following Leo's to the window.

"It must be close to dawn," Kefka murmured, voicing Leo's own thoughts. The blond soldier merely nodded. "Do you have some place to be?"

"Yeah, a meeting."

Kefka propped his chin in his hands and grinned. "Anything that can be done to avoid it?"

Leo couldn't help but laugh at the suggestion. "Ah, I wish. But sadly, no; nothing can be said to avoid a meeting with the infamous General Zertanik."

"Oh, him," Kefka murmured darkly. "He's certainly troublesome. I truly marvel at how the empire manages to acquire such a staff. Silphana and him must be great friends. They should be betrothed or something."

At the mention of Silphana, Leo stiffened, his expression unreadable. The room seemed to drop a few degrees in temperature by the tension that filled the air. Kefka raised a brow. "Do you not agree?"

Finally Leo shook his head, running a hand over his short locks. He said, "It's not that. But, Kefka... Surely you know Silphana's dead."

The stunned, emotionless look on Kefka's face caught Leo by mild surprise. He turned to face the commander with wide eyes. "What?"

"Yes," Leo murmured, eyeing the blond skeptically. "She was found dead, burnt to a crisp within the armory."

"The armory." It was a statement, not a question. Even Leo could discern that. For a few minutes Kefka fumbled with the corner of the blanket, running his tongue over his chapped lips. Leo assumed it was only a matter of moments before he cracked, finally confessed, though what came out of Kefka again surprised him. "She'd whipped me in the armory."

"Did she?"

"Yes..." Still seeming confused, Kefka shrugged. "Oh well, she deserved it anyhow. She was a cruel, awful woman."

Leo couldn't help but let out a sigh. He smoothed the bedcovers with a hand. "Kefka, you can't just condemn a person to death simply because they punish you."

"I'm not condemning her to death," snapped Kefka. "She died _after _she punished me. No harm in saying I'm glad, now, is there?"

"You know what I mean," Leo said lowly. "And besides, Silphana didn't just 'die,' she was murdered."

Kefka waved a hand carelessly. "Died, murdered, what's the difference? She's gone now anyway"—his words fell short when Leo whipped him around by the shoulders and yanked him close. For a man much shorter than him, Leo was far stronger.

"Don't be a fool," Leo hissed. "You know how she died just as well as I do. You can't go to these lengths, Kefka. Be angry, yes, but you don't go killing people!"

The look Kefka threw Leo's direction would've frozen water in July. "Are you insinuating that _I _murdered her?"

Leo's green eyes blazed into Kefka's blue ones. "Yes, Kefka. Don't play innocent, she was burned to death. No one knows who did this, but it's as plain as day to me. Who else has such access to fire, with the mad desire to kill her?"

A loud snarl emitted from the blond as he roughly shoved Leo in the chest. He sprang up from the bed and crossed the room in a flash.

"How dare you!" he breathed.

Leo took this as an initiative to also rise from the bed. "I should be asking you the very same. I know you're capable of many things, but murder wasn't one of them."

"I didn't do it!" he howled. "Sure, I'm capable, but I'm not stupid. Why would I attempt killing a general, when I'd have nothing less than the whole empire breathing down my neck as a result? I want freedom, Leo: freedom. While I'll admit the thought of killing Silphana was sorely tempting, I knew it'd only throw me behind bars forever."

It surprised Leo, but he almost believed him. Kefka had always been an exceptional liar, there was no doubt in that. From the time they were young Kefka could craft lies and do some of the trickiest of maneuvers, foiling even adults half the time. And yet, the shock Kefka displayed when Leo informed him of General Silphana's death was unmistakable, perhaps virtually impossible to replicate. Leo clasped his hands together in front of him.

"Then tell me: why was the armory entirely engulfed in flames when officers found it this afternoon?" he challenged.

"I"—Kefka grew paler, likely knowing no defense he could offer would back him—"I swear, I don't know, but I'm telling you that I didn't do it! I did not kill her!"

"Well, all evidence points at you, my friend. And unless you can prove exactly where you were at three o'clock this afternoon, I'm afraid that evidence will be enough to convict you guilty as charged."

Kefka opened his mouth to retort before clamming it shut, a look of bewilderment lighting his expression. His gaze traveled along the ceramic tiles, as though searching for something that could never be found. Finally he found words to utter, his voice hardly anything more than a croaky whisper. "But, Leo, I can't. Because I was _there _at three o'clock, and I remember walking off the training grounds..." His voice trailed off, his wide eyes focusing on the small amount of light that seeped through the heavy draperies. Leo wanted to shake him to get him to speak, though he knew better than to think it'd help.

"You were walking off the training grounds, and...?"

"I smelt smoke."

Leo folded his arms across his chest. If Kefka was trying to pull something over on him, it wasn't going to work. "Kefka...don't try to fabricate a story that you saw someone torch the armory, because it won't work since—"

"No, but that's the thing," Kefka murmured, his voice rising in hysteria. "I don't remember ever leaving the armory. All I remember is being whipped, then being halfway across the training grounds. But nothing between...nothing."

The story seemed to be perfectly coherent to the teen, yet Leo couldn't follow it whatsoever. "What are you trying to say, here?" asked Leo.

Snapping his gaze from the window, Kefka's wide eyes turned to Leo; never could the man recall a time that they had appeared more terrified.

"Oh, God. Leo... I think I really did kill her."


	27. Where the Wildflowers Grow

**Author's note: **Yes, I really am still alive! So much has transpired and occurred in the recent months. Some things for the best, others for the worst, and others which have been positively astounding. Anyhow, I'm willing to bet that you probably don't care about that stuff. : P What matters is that I'm back, and I have a bit more of this story to share! I've been debating about whether to bring this pairing into existence for a while now and, while I don't think I'll take it as far as I once contemplated (my apologies to those who really wanted to see it), I thought it may be fun to give a taste of, especially before I rob this story of all happiness within the next chapter or two.

As always, I would like to thank each and every one of you profusely who have left me reviews and offered me encouragement throughout writing this story over the, wow, nearly four years that I've been at it? I can hardly believe it's been that long, and, trust me, once I'm finished this story will definitely receive some revisions in earlier chapters. They make me shudder looking back at them. : P

Now then, a special thank you is due to **Daedalus370**, who has gone above and beyond to inspire me in life, in more ways than I can possibly name. While I know that you don't actively read this story, I hope that this note happens to reach your eye. ; ) This chapter wouldn't exist if it weren't for you. Also, I'd like to thank **DestinyCrusader**, who's shown me just recently that you really can pick up the pen again, no matter how long of a hiatus you're on. Finally, thank you, **Lunar Berserker**, for helping me tweak and create this very plot that I have in existence. Without your help in developing Terra's character I fear that I still wouldn't understand her psyche, and she'd be a very senseless Mary-Sue.

Reviews are like happy juice, great or small, and they greatly encourage me to continue writing. Just sayin'. ; )

* * *

**Chapter 27: Where the Wildflowers Grow**

". . . Happy birthday to you!"

Cheers resounded throughout Cid's small, clutter-filled living room, which had become only ever more cluttered since three of the children had moved out. You would've thought that the scientist had more free time on his hands, but no. Quite the contrary, he'd been all the more busy with the one child remaining in his care. It'd been apparent for quite some time that Celes was the favored amongst the four; no one voiced it because it hadn't mattered, but if one stole a quick look at the four―and then to the scientist―it was as plain as day, and had been for quite some time. Most of Cid's days were filled furthering Celes's education, watching her grow, sharing smiles and companionship, and, most importantly, tweaking the Magitek infusion process to perfection before she were to endure it.

In honor of this special girl's fourteenth birthday, a cake had been made by the emperor's personal chefs. It sat on the coffee table in the center of the room, surrounded by balloons, colorful gifts, and the only family that Celes had left in the world: Leo, Terra, Kefka, and the scientist himself. It had taken a while to make this day work, considering Leo was scheduled to be out of town and Kefka had nightly training sessions for weeks without pause. And yet they managed. It was well worth it. It had been a while since the four children had gathered together for any event. If one were present, another would be absent. In fact, it had been over three years since they all had been together, smiling, and letting go of their roles in the empire for even just a moment.

The blond girl's face was aglow from the candlelit cake, its frosting slowly melting where the flames hovered close. She offered the group a warm smile, hands clasped before her in her slender lap. "I―I don't know how to thank you―all of you―"

"Thank me by blowing out those candles," said Kefka casually, leaning back in his seat. "I don't know why, but it's bugging me watching the icing melt off this cake when it could be melting in my mouth instead."

As if searching for reassurance, Celes glanced to the others, who all nodded encouragingly.

"Go on, blow!" Leo cried, to which Terra added simultaneously, "Make a wish!"

It seemed that Celes chose to obey both. She closed her eyes, remaining silent for a moment before she leaned forward and blew out the candles, not leaving a single one lit. The room filled with applause as the dim lighting provided by the candles went out, leaving the five in utter darkness. Cid had been at the ready, apparently, for in only moments he'd struck a match and lit several candles along the mantel. The blond girl beamed radiantly, eyeing the cake with fondness. As though Kefka had been long anticipating the moment, he bounced up, seized the knife on the table, and began slicing the cake evenly. No one seemed to mind this, as no one made a notion to stop him but, rather, Cid held out a plate in request for a slice.

"So, what did you wish for?" asked Terra, once Celes resumed her seat alongside her. She offered Terra a sideways glance, and Terra immediately knew her response before it was even uttered.

"Can't tell," she said. "If I do, it might not come true."

"That's the funny thing about wishes, really," interrupted Kefka, turning from the cake to face them, a plate in hand. "They don't follow their own laws and either come true or don't, depending on what a person does after the wish has been made." He nodded to Celes, extending the plate with cake and ice cream toward her. It was a generously sized slab of cake, consisting of marble fudge and pastel pink icing. A rose rested perfectly in the corner, as though sliced intentionally to support such decor. Celes took it, and before she could offer a word of thanks Kefka was gone, already back to the table and yakking away with the other two men. Terra merely giggled, whereas Celes shook her head.

"Boys. They can be so rude sometimes."

The party was a joyous one, with conversations of all sorts circulating around the cozy yet generously sized living room. Leo was recollecting one of his latest missions to the three, explaining how he'd mistaken a chippirabbit for an innocent bunny.

"You know how much Celes loves bunnies," he explained. "Well, it kind of wore off on me as well, and I just couldn't bring myself to strike it. I was going to delicately carry it off the battlefield, until it whipped around and gnashed its pointy teeth at me. I let it go immediately, but apparently too late. It latched onto my arm like it'd never once tasted flesh before, and that was the end of that. All the other soldiers were laughing. I know that I was a miserable sight."

Upon the mention of chippirabbits, Terra turned to glance at Kefka, whose gaze heavily penetrated the fireplace without so much as blinking. From the solemn expression on his face, she assumed that the conversation had triggered the same thought: the bunny ignition and General Silphana's death. She wanted to say something to him, offer him some word that would provide comfort, but regardless of her efforts she couldn't catch his eye. The jubilant chatter became droned and distant as Terra watched Kefka rise and leave the room, out the back door and onto the balcony. His exit didn't disrupt the party much, as Leo was still jabbering away and causing both Cid and Celes to laugh merrily. Taking a sharp glance from the glass doors to the group, Terra stole her way across the room and to the balcony entrance. Her hands paused at the brass handles before giving them a shove.

The blond standing before her didn't so much as turn around. Both of his hands braced the balcony railing tightly, which was evident from how white his knuckles were. His shoulders were slumped, his head hung low. The wind was slightly chilly, though not enough to gripe over or desire a sweater. Or at least not for Terra, who was naturally warm-blooded. She took a tentative step forward, her face wearing concern. For a moment she wasn't certain that Kefka even knew that she was there, until suddenly he spoke. "Go back to the party and leave me."

Swallowing hard, Terra disobeyed. Instead she joined him on the balcony ledge, resting an arm across the railing. Silence lapsed between them, with only the soft rustling of leaves and wind chimes to disrupt it. Whatever happened to cause Kefka to chuckle was baffling, until he glanced at her from the corner of his eye and said, "You really never listen to me, do you?"

"I listen when I feel that it's important," was her response.

"But what if this is? What if I really need you to leave me be?"

"There's no reason why it would be important for you to be alone."

Kefka drew in a deep breath, but said no more. There was something more than what met the eye that bothered him, though Terra well knew that pestering him on the matter wouldn't cause him to splurge it. Either he'd feel like opening up, or he wouldn't. It was as simple as that.

"What if I told you, Terra"―he didn't look at her as he spoke, but instead his gaze lingered on an object far in the distance, eyes narrowing slightly―"that I'm not safe for you to be around? That I might, for no reason at all, whip around and cause you harm? What if I told you that a secret part of me wishes to cause suffering on everything and all, and that sometimes that part of me comes out and I cannot control it?"

This was the first in a long time that Kefka had sounded so defeated, so helpless. Terra wasn't certain whether he was dramatizing, something that wouldn't surprise her, or if he was being serious for once. She took a moment before responding, her expression thoughtful. "I would listen, but that doesn't mean that I would heed your advice. I know you, and I know that you would never hurt me. You―" Her words died in her throat. Whether she was uncertain on how to finish, or unable to, Terra herself wasn't sure. But Kefka's next reaction caught her by surprise. The mage grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her roughly, his fingertips digging painfully into her bare flesh.

"I what?! What makes you so certain that I wouldn't just switch gears and hurt you?" he demanded, a rare yet frightful fire kindling in his blue eyes. Terra was left breathless in surprise, her lips growing paler by the minute. "For instance, I could kill you right here and now, and no one would be any the wiser, nor could you stop me."

Both fear and surprise was apparent on Terra's face, her eyes wide and searching Kefka's. His eyes bore into hers, and for a moment neither spoke nor moved. "Because . . . you care too much for me?"

Kefka's expression remained unchanged. His grip on her shoulders did loosen, however, and he brought a hand towards her face. Brushing back a wisp of seafoam-green hair from her cheek, he allowed his finger to stroke her cheek, lingering upon her jawbone before bringing it back towards her ear. "No," he murmured, his tone barely more than a whisper. "That's not entirely true. Care would be an understatement, as I treasure you much more than I do myself. You know I've never been good at this, but . . . well . . . try 'love' instead."

It was an unspoken word for the mage, something that Terra well knew, and it was apparent that this was so. The word seemed difficult for him to utter, and it took great effort for it to finally come out in the sloppiest and most effortful of contexts. Unsure of how to respond to such a statement, Terra rested a hand on his shoulder, a slight smile on her lips.

"I know," she said. "I know that you've always loved me. You probably don't realize it, but you've shown it. A lot."

"Perhaps." Kefka tilted his head to the side, seemingly battling himself before continuing. "But I don't think I've ever truly shown what I mean."

It happened so quickly and suddenly that it caught Terra by surprise. It was certainly not what she expected, even if she partly knew what Kefka had meant all along. In one swift motion, Kefka stooped down, his lips meeting hers. It was brief and gentle, as well as over before Terra could figure out how to respond. Kefka then let go of Terra, taking an abrupt step back as though she'd slapped him. Immediately hd regained his composure. "I―I'm sorry. I don't know why I just did that. It's just that―"

"I understand," Terra barely managed, finding her voice that she'd thought was lost entirely until then. "You don't need to explain yourself, Kefka. I know you're trying to tell me that you _really _love me, but can't say it. Could I ask you why, though?"

Kefka scoffed. "Why? Well, that's easy: through thick and thin, you've always been there, and I would quickly lay down my life if it meant ensuring your happiness."

"No, no, not that. I mean, why can't you just say it?"

Irritation finally seeped through Kefka's expression and into his tone. "I don't know. Maybe because I've never heard it before. No one's ever said it to me, nor have I ever said it to anyone. It's a foreign concept."

There was so much that Terra wanted to say, yet words availed her. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Finally Kefka offered her a slight smile, raising a hand and shaking his head. "It's alright. Forget it. Just . . . go back and enjoy yourself, okay?"

She didn't want to leave him, not really, not when she knew that Silphana's death was still eating at him. There was more, she could tell, though what it was remained a mystery. She thought that she'd take a stab and inquire. "Kefka . . . what's wrong?"

"Nothing," was his immediate response. It was defensive, and Terra could tell by his tone that it was also dismissive, leaving no room for further discussion. Heaving a heavy sigh, the seafoam-haired girl made a motion toward the door, pausing as her hand clutched the cold metal of the handle. Just then Kefka spoke, surprising her and nearly causing her to jump. "If you could do me just one favor, please."

"Sure, anything," Terra answered immediately, whipping around and looking hopeful.

Darkness clouded his expression, his somber gaze turning back out to face the darkened imperial city below. Everything looked so small from where they stood, even the Iron Palace out in the distance. "Forget that we ever had this conversation. All of it. It can't . . . no. Just no."

"No . . . what?"

He didn't answer, but he didn't have to. His statement spoke for itself, and Terra knew it, too. Deep down she knew what he meant all along. It was her denial, however, that made her ask, and a tiny part of her that wished what he said wasn't so. While she couldn't voice it, or at least not then, she felt very much how Kefka had expressed. This was her chance to say it. She knew that no opportunity like this would open for her again.

Just as she opened her mouth for what seemed the fourth time that night, Kefka interjected. "Do you remember what I had promised you?"

"Of course," said Terra. While Kefka had promised her many things, she knew exactly what he was referring to. "I think about it all of the time."

"It will happen," he reassured. "I don't know when, or how, but someday I swear that I'll get you out of here. You're too fine, and have so much potential. You deserve so much more than this."

His tone was indifferent, expression unreadable. There seemed to be something he was hiding, and Terra couldn't help but note how he chose his words rather carefully. She also found it rather curious that he would choose right now to mention this.

"I never doubted it, Kefka." Terra smiled at his back. "I know that we'll leave this place together someday. Would we still go to Kolingen?"

Kefka shrugged his shoulders. "That all depends. Where do you want to go, Terra?"

"Narshe, I think," was her response, tilting her head thoughtfully. "I'd love to live near the Moogles."

A laugh came from the tall blond, a sound which Terra scarcely ever heard nowadays, and greatly missed. "That's just like you. Can't possibly forget your love for those things. Just remember, though, that it nearly snows there all year long, and there's such little sunlight. Are you sure that you'd really be up for that?"

"I'm sure that we'd get more sunshine there than here, don't you think?"

"Perhaps." Kefka hesitated a moment before continuing. "If this is where you want to go, consider it done."

"But what about you?" she asked in a small voice.

"What about me?"

"Where do _you _want to go?"

Terra wondered if she only imagined his eyes being glassier than usual in the dim lighting, or if they truly were. It took him a fair amount of time to respond, and once he had his tone was indifferent. "Never you mind where I'd want to go. That's not important right now, and, besides, I would be happy anywhere besides here, Thamasa, and . . . "

"And . . . ?"

The mage shrugged, brushing a hand along the balcony railing carelessly. " . . . Wherever you are."

This made Terra smile, her eyes aglow. "That would make me happy as well. After everything we've been through, I never want to say goodbye to you. Ever."

"I can't promise that," Kefka murmured. "But if it's in my power, I never want this to happen either."

Terra took a couple of long strides across the small balcony and reached Kefka's side. She extended a hand and placed it over his. "Then I know that I have nothing to worry about."

On this note, Terra slid her hand away and headed back toward the party, feeling a mix of many emotions. So many, in fact, that it confused her.

The girl was so preoccupied in her thoughts that she barely acknowledged Celes's broad smile and nod whilst giving a brown teddy bear a tight squeeze. "This was from you, wasn't it?" she asked fondly.

"Yes, I'd gotten it last week." Terra strolled across the room and dropped beside her. While physically present, her eyes were distant, her thoughts seemingly in another world. "I like how soft it is, and I remember your love for stuffed animals. I was hoping that you'd like it."

"Then it was a perfect guess! I love it!" The blonde stopped upon noticing Terra's gaze afar. "Uh-oh, what did Kefka do now?"

"Hmm?" Terra glanced over to her, expression bewildered. "What makes you think Kefka did anything?"

"I recognize that look," said Celes. "You've certainly worn it enough in your lifetime. I can tell that you're thinking about something, and I can only imagine that Kefka either said or did something to upset you. Do you need me to go talk to him?"

"Oh, Celes, of course not. Don't be silly!" Terra waved her hands defensively, laughing slightly. Some might've mistaken it for a laugh of embarrassment, though for Terra it was one of concern. "I was just thinking . . . do you think wildflowers grow in Narshe?"

A look of skepticism crossed Celes's face. "Maybe . . . why? Isn't that a bit silly to be focused on so seriously like that?"

"Probably. Don't worry about it."

Much to her amazement, Celes obeyed, disengaging from their conversation and turning her gaze back to the two men across the room. Both were deeply engrossed in a conversation concerning Doma, flying turtles, and hippo frog hybrids, none of which made very much sense to Terra. She leaned back on the couch, remaining forgotten and forgetting that she was even there to begin with. Her discussion with Kefka brought back memories of old, discussions that they shared long ago, and topics she hadn't considered for quite some time. It'd been so long since she dreamt of life outside of the empire that she nearly forgotten that she would leave it one day. Of course, leaving without a release paper was forbidden, but she figured that wouldn't stop Kefka. Yes, he would find a way, and together they would leave. What she would do with her life from there, though, she was uncertain. There were a few things she was positive about, however: picking wildflowers, playing with the Moogles, and, most especially, never letting Kefka go. What he would think of this, she didn't know, but, gauging from their earlier conversation, she didn't think he would mind it.


	28. The Sadist Emerges

**Author's note: ** Yes, I know. Most of you are probably thinking, "Whoa! First this story doesn't receive an update in nearly a year, and now two in less than a one-week succession?!" It's surprising, even to me, but I've recently been fueled by inspiration of all kinds, along with my rekindled interest in the greatest game of all time. I hope that you'll enjoy this chapter as much as its predecessors, and, as always, your opinion greatly matters to me. Constructive criticism is almost as glorious as candy to me (which is saying a lot, trust me : P), and I'll immediately jump to share these delectables if you're kind enough to leave me some.

As always, thank you for reading, and a very special thank-you to those who have stuck around to continue reading up to this point. It really made me smile to see how many of you are still around to read the final dregs of this story. I only hope that I can make it as meaningful as possible in its final installments.

* * *

**Chapter 28: The Sadist Emerges**

Lucid screams pierced the air. It was a horrific sound, and yet it thrilled him. Or at least sometimes. Sometimes he though the screams had been coming from him. But, much to his horror, he found himself . . . jubilant. And laughing.

They all deserved to suffer. Each and every last soul. The world was against him, and now everything that meant something to him was slipping from his grasp. The world deserved to see what a man deprived of all that he treasured could do, and he was going to show them . . . .

One life at a time.

Gilvada was consumed in flames, with not a single building spared. Civilians ran through the streets, seeking shelter where there was none. Everyone was in a frenzy. Children cried while their parents dragged them through the streets, clothed in their sleepwear and barefooted on the cobblestone streets. Left and right buildings were collapsing, which would result in more screams as they fell. He smirked as one building collapsed on a group of security guards, who had given their lives to help the innocents.

_Let them all suffer the pain I've endured for so long_, he thought. While this partly mortified him, it gave him such a thrill. The mage was so consumed with watching this scene pan out from a cliff above that he hardly noticed the imperial trooper speaking to him until he roughly patted his shoulder. Irritably he whipped around. "What?" he demanded. "Don't you see that I'm observing the destruction down there?"

"Erm, sorry, commander, sir." The knight tugged at his collar nervously, seeming to be disgruntled by the entire scenario. "You see, Biggs and I had a question for you."

"Questions, questions." The commander shook his head and sighed. "I swear, sometimes I don't know how you happened on to the team. You both tire me terribly with all of your wonderings, many of which aren't even any of your business."

No response seemed to properly fit the ill-tempered commander's remark, so the soldier continued on with his initial thought. "W―we were just wondering, sir, if any of the lives of the townsfolk should be spared. All government offices have been broken down, and all important political figures have been taken into custody. All that's left out there are innocents, most especially women and children. It seems pointless, sir, to continue opening fire when there is nothing left for us to conquer here."

Suddenly the commander tensed, his glare so painful that it would've frozen water in July. "You dare question my motives?" His tone was dangerous, and barely more than a whisper.

"W―why no, Commander Palazzo. It's just that―"

"That _what?!_"

"I―I―didn't know if you wanted us to continue, especially with those women trying to protect their children."

"And why should I care?!" At that the commander waved a hand, and an atrocious bolt of lightning came shooting from the cloudless sky, striking the imperial trooper head on. The man didn't even let out a scream before hitting the ground, obviously dead.

"Let this serve as an example," the mage said, carefully stepping across the fallen soldier and across the cliff, "to anyone who so dares oppose me. No one, and I repeat, _no one, _will ever receive mercy from me again!"

A laugh emerged from the commander, one so cold, high-pitched and sinister that it made himself shudder. Finally he stopped, eyes glazed as he stared out onto the scene. It took him a moment to register what he was witnessing, and when it finally hit home he was left mortified.

"Officer Wedge, are those innocents?"

The guards stood around, dumbfounded, at the commander's ludicrous question. They had been over this only moments ago when a poor soldier had been struck to his death over it. For a moment they all remained silent, wondering if this were a test of their loyalty. When no one answered the commander repeated his question, a slight note of hysteria in his voice. "Officer, are those women and children out roaming the streets that our men―your men―are firing at?"

With great hesitation and care, Wedge responded, wringing his hands nervously. "W―why yes, commander."

Suddenly the mage whipped around, eyes ablaze. "Why?!"

"Because you just ordered us to, sir."

"I . . . ordered you?" Kefka's expression was one of great confusion, his shoulders slumped. For a moment he stared out in space, and at that moment all of the surrounding soldiers were convinced that the man was truly crazy. Finally he snapped out of it, frantically pointing at the town below and crying, "Cease fire! Put out the flames! We're leaving!"

It seemed unrealistic that this utter destruction could've happened and yet, deep down, Kefka knew that he'd ordered it. He swore to himself, storming away from his personnel and making his way into the town. It was entirely in ruins; dead bodies lining the streets. With a powerful conjure of calculated ice clusters, the mage managed to put out the flames in a matter of minutes. Everyone stopped dashing, most freezing stock still in the streets in shock. None offered him a word of thanks, nor did anyone so much as smile. They all glared, cried, and, much to his surprise, shouted insults. At first he was gravely offended. Why, he'd saved what ever was left of their lives and miserable town! Why should they be angry with him? That's when he remembered standing upon the hilltop, laughing like a maniac as he watched the town crumble to utter destruction. If these townsfolk had witnessed this after he'd ordered the deaths of their loved ones, why shouldn't they scream derogatory remarks?

Fear, shame, anguish, and shock all flooded Kefka at once, staring out of haunted eyes at the surrounding civilians. At that moment he uttered a simple line, something he hadn't ever spoken even during his must vulnerable times: "I'm―I'm so sorry."

And then, much to everyone's shock, he fled, the thick velvety fabrics of his cloak billowing behind him. From there everything went down in a blur. While he was partly grateful for this, he was also greatly mortified.

~(*)~

"Kefka . . ." came a soft voice, one that infiltrated his dreams often. He could see her face, and in fact saw it frequently, though he was pleasantly surprised to open his eyes and find that face looking down at him, in more of a physical sense than a mere dream. The seafoam-haired young woman raised a brow, a skeptical look crossing her face. "Kefka . . . are you alright? You seemed so confused when you came back last night, and as I went off to retrieve some tea you just crashed in this chair. You've been out cold for almost ten hours."

"Ten . . . hours?" he repeated, before offering her a smile and laughing weakly. "My, it really didn't feel like that long. I'm very sorry, Terra. I was rather drained from my travels to Gilvada, you see."

For some reason Terra looked unconvinced. The young woman sat back in a chair across from him, arms propped across her knees. The dark circles under her eyes indicated that she hadn't slept, and Kefka feared that she'd sat up the entire night watching over him. The commander sat up, rubbing his temple thoughtfully as he turned a smile in her direction. "This may seem crazy to you, but do you know that you haven't changed a bit?"

"Neither have you, Commander Palazzo," she teased, yet her expression remained grave. And, much like she'd always been, she didn't hesitate to cut to the chase. "I just can't help but wonder, though, what happened in Gilvada that left the returning troops in such a state of dismay?"

Dread flooded him as memories of that horrible day came back to him. He'd wanted to believe that most of it had been a dream, yet a huge part of him knew that this wasn't the case. It'd terrified him that some blood-thirsty, sadistic mass murderer had emerged from him so spontaneous, and that he somehow had been attached to this person without the ability to harness it. Of course, this wasn't the first time that it had occurred. There were so many instances where Kefka had caught himself moments before sentencing his own comrades to their deaths, or before he'd nearly fried a fellow leading ally, King Edgar, to a crisp for merely insulting his peculiar coffee-drinking habits. There was also another instance, much to his horror, where he'd gotten into a nasty argument with Terra, and had sarcastically made the comment of "drowning herself." This was entirely unacceptable to him, and even though he profusely apologized and Terra had accepted it many times over, he still had shut himself away for some time thereafter. He didn't know what was getting into him, but whatever it was terrified him. More than words could properly express.

"No," Kefka replied, after much time had lapsed since she posed the question. "I mean, I haven't . . . the slightest idea. The mission was complete, much like any other."

A somber expression filled Terra's face, yet she didn't speak another word on the matter. Instead she seized a teacup from the table between them, stirred cream and sugar into it, and then got up and brought it over to him. Kefka eyed it, but didn't take it. Instead he shook his head, golden locks falling into his face. "No thanks; I'm not thirsty."

"What's going on, Kefka?" Terra inquired at last, unable to stand his curious avoidance on the topic.

"What do you mean? I'm just not in the mood for tea. Is that a crime?"

"No, you know exactly what I mean." She sighed and shook her head. "All of these uncharacteristic happenings, your vague statements, unexplainable deaths . . . . These things have been going on for nearly four years, and I have a feeling that you know more than you're leading anyone on to believe."

"If I did know more, you would be the first to know it."

"You're not helping."

A slight laugh came from the commander, who smiled up at Terra fondly. "I thank you for your concern, but there is really nothing for me to explain. All I can tell you about the events in Gilvada was that there had been a terrible miscommunication, which had cost the lives of many innocents, more than I care to admit. I have a small troop of men trying to help accommodate that which has been lost, but they're being particularly hostile about any offer of I've made. I can only give so much, and if they want to refuse, well, pooh on them."

Noticing the time, and not wishing to linger on this topic any longer, the commander rose, feeling slightly woozy on his feet for several moments before he regained himself. He wanted to offer Terra words of reassurance, but what could he say? Not much, which grieved him. Instead Kefka started to cross the room, but not without pausing in front of Terra and carefully grasping her chin. "Again, I'm sorry for worrying you. But everything will be fine. You'll see."

In truth, Terra disagreed, but she didn't voice it. After every travel Kefka returned different. In a poorer condition than he had prior, both mentally and physically, and she couldn't help but notice that he seemed distant immediately thereafter. She'd caught whispers of some nasty aftermaths of the Magitek infusion Kefka underwent nearly a decade ago, though when inquiring for the details both Kefka and Cid would refuse to utter a word.

"Just remember what you promised me," said Terra, her tone serious yet playful. "You can't break it, you know."

"And how could I ever consider doing such a thing?" was his response. "Of course I haven't forgotten, and, believe me, I'm working on it. In fact, I have some ideas, but no more on that now. I'll tell you tonight." With that, Kefka offered her one of his signature sideways grins, something that immediately brought ease to the young woman. He then caressed her cheek tenderly with his forefinger. Very much unlike the night of Celes's birthday party three years ago, Kefka leaned in and met Terra's lips with his own, which Terra returned with as much intensity as himself. After several moments the mage broke away, offering Terra a final smile before leaving his personal quarters, his untouched tea still in her hands. The teacup upon the saucer trembled slightly from her shaking hands, her expression grave. Yes, she knew that he was keeping something from her, and she was bound and determined to uncover what this could be.

The seafoam-haired girl set down the teacup and strolled to the other side of Kefka's sitting room, pulling aside the heavy draperies that blocked the sunlight from entering the room. The window overlooked the palace gates, a sight that wasn't lovely in and of itself. There wasn't much entrancing beauty to be had in or around the Iron Palace, but the viewpoint admittedly had its advantages. Nearly everything on the palace grounds could be seen from this very window, which Terra had taken advantage of upon awaiting Kefka's return.

Things had changed since Kefka had been promoted to commanding officer of the Magitek Knights. It seemed that he was seldom there, and even more seldom that Terra joined him upon these missions. Whenever the two were together, though, they enjoyed their time as much as they ever did, and, in the most recent year, perhaps even more so. With their relationship having blossomed into something more than it once had been, things had ultimately been different. It was a learning curve for them both, the concept seeming both foreign and awkward from their brother and sisterly affection which they had shared for so long.

Letting out a sigh, Terra rested her forehead against the cool glass of the window, closing her eyes and basking in the sunlight. Her pale skin glowed from the glare of the hot sun, though, interestingly, she scarcely ever received a sunburn. The brightness of the sun caused her to squint upon opening her eyes, though this didn't cause her to not notice the scene below. At the palace gates was what appeared to be an uproar, with swords clashing and people throwing punches. It was hard to discern who was involved from where she stood, as all figures involved were mere blurs from eight stories below. It would've been wise if Terra had simply disregarded it before going on about her day, but this wasn't like her to let conflict go if she could do anything about it. For all she knew it was a group of young cadets getting in a tiff, which, if not stopped, could get rather ugly in a short period of time.

The young Magitek Knight made her way out of Kefka's quarters and down several flights of stairs, ignoring the curious glances that came from passersby and maids alike. She scurried down several corridors, down eight flights of stairs, and finally reached the foyer, which was guarded by two young sentries. Both were jabbering away, about topics she could only stab guesses at, and neither seemed to notice her arrival nor urgency until she spoke. "Let me pass." It was a demand, not a request.

One of the guards raised a brow. His breath smelt of whiskey, even from where Terra stood, and his expression mocked her. "As if. Where's your identification, Miss Pretty?"

"Don't mess with her," the other muttered, elbowing his companion with a sideways smirk. "She's Kefka's fire-breathing pet dragon."

At this remark, the two sentries broke out in a fit of laughter. This irritated Terra all the more. "Listen, there's a fight going on out there, and someone needs to break it up before someone gets hurt―"

"And how would you know this, being inside and all, Dragon Lady?"

Terra shook her head. These two were obviously drunk. Why they were allowed to patrol in such a state was beyond her, but then again the Empire was notorious for letting so many problems in their ranks go unnoticed. Gestahl seemed to be too fixated on any one thing, because this was a common occurrence. She roughly shoved one of the guards to the side, moving to the door on her own. One of them gaped at her, while the other roughly grabbed her by the arm, yanking her close. His foul hot breath beat down on her face, and it took all of Terra's willpower not to wrinkle her nose in disgust. "Just what do you think you're doing? We could have you arrested for that, you know." The sentry smiled, though not in a friendly way. "What say you to allowing, ah, Jordin over here escort you off? I'm sure he'd have a lovely place for you."

Now furious, Terra attempted to wrench her arm from the sentry's grasp, only to no avail. His grip tightened painfully, bruising her upper arm in the process. "You know," he continued. "You're pretty cute when you're angry."

"What's going on here?"

The female voice caused them all to freeze, Terra with relief while the others in dread. Clad in pale-blue armor and a green commander's cape, Celes stood before them, arms crossed and a brow cocked. While she'd only joined ranks less than two years ago, she'd quickly climbed the ladder to the status of commander, same as Kefka. Both were head of the Magitek army, and certified trainers of hard-core magic use.

The sentries looked mildly concerned. The grip on Terra's arm slackened, allowing the seafoam-haired girl to wrench it away. Both saluted Celes, even though one was sneering. "Greetings, O Fair One!" he mocked, his laugh nervous. Celes looked unamused.

"Why are you barring her path? You know perfectly well that you have no right to do this."

"W―well, Zertanik's been emphasizing the rules, and we don't want to make him mad, so―" Jordin's words died in his throat. The excuse was pathetic, and they all knew it. Celes marched up alongside Terra, nodding curtly to the two sentries.

"I'll be writing both of you up, just so you know," she said smoothly, resting her hand on one of the main doors. Her touch activated the automated mechanism, thrusting the double doors open and granting them leave.

It didn't take long for Terra to spot the fight ahead of them, taking place only several yards from the palace gates. It was a bit different than Terra had initially anticipated, not seeming to consist of cadets, or soldiers, but, rather, intruders attacking Imperials.

A group of at least ten youths were lashing out at the surrounding soldiers, blades and swords in hand. A few soldiers were on the ground, either critically injured or, worse, dead, if gauging by their stillness and the pool of blood they rested in. The intruders' clothing didn't particularly match, or indicate that they were apart of a rebel group, but instead were clothing of peasants and civilians, not likely from a wealthy society.. The fight was a curious one, and Terra remained rooted in place, unsure of how to stop it. Celes seemed just as confused as she was, tilting her head to the side and resting a hand on her sword's hilt at her hip.

"Was this why you were so desperate to get out here?" she asked, to which Terra nodded in response. The fighting didn't seem to cease in the slightest, and both knew that it wouldn't unless they interfered. One of the rebels roughly punched a soldier in the face before jabbing him in the side with his dagger, while another was relentlessly bashing the hilt of his sword into a soldier's helmet. Celes made a motion forward, rotating her wrist and forming an ice storm, until Terra grabbed her arm and shook her head.

"Wait, we don't know why they're doing this," said Terra breathlessly.

Celes merely shot her a glance. "And do you have any better ideas? Regardless of why they're doing this, it's no excuse for massacring our entire entry squad."

Truth be told, Terra didn't, but she wasn't going to tell Celes this. Unlike Terra, Celes was eager and ready to torrent her foes with shards of ice and show no mercy, which would've happened had Terra not intervened. Surely there was a reason why they were being attacked, especially given the age of the rebels fighting. Terra strode forward before breaking into a run, extending her hands in surrender. "Wait! Please, please stop!"

No one heeded her command, nor did they even acknowledge her. They all continued to bash and thrash the Imperial troops, and, surprisingly, they were doing a good job of it.

"Death to the Empire!" she heard one of them cry, letting a fatal blow befall one of the soldiers. It was truly a tragic sight, and Terra feared that Celes would grow impatient and end their lives if the fighting didn't cease soon.

Frantic, Terra dashed in front of a fighting party, waving her arms frantically in hopes of gaining their attention. Her efforts, however, were futile. The fighting ensued, and now Terra was in the heart of it. One of the rebels tried to bring their blade on her from behind, causing the girl to whip around. With a simple hand stroke, a thin wall of flames generated between herself and her opponent, causing him to freeze, not in flames, but in fear. The others seemed to be mesmerized by this use of her magic as well, as they all stopped fighting to stare at the Magitek knight. The imperial soldiers didn't seem to know quite what to do, but none seemed inclined to strike. Terra had things under control, which they were pretty satisfied with.

A slight gasp grabbed Terra's attention. Her offender was just a boy, who couldn't have been older than fourteen. His brown eyes met hers, eyes that were in no way belonging to a killer. Rather, they seemed to belong to a frightened, tortured boy, who seemed to have endured far more than he should've in his years. Terra recognized this look, as she herself had carried this very same one at that age. A somber look tugged at the girl's features, her rosy lips parting slightly. "Please, why are you fighting?" she asked, her voice soft.

The boy's brow quivered, wearing an expression that looked as though he might cry. Another boy, one who looked several years older, darted over to them, thrusting the younger boy behind him by the shoulders as he glared at Terra. "Don't listen to this imperial witch! She's just like him, and probably just as murderous!"

"Maybe even more so," piped up another. "Do you see her face, and her beauty? She's probably cast some enchantment on herself so that we're entranced."

These words tore at Terra's heartstrings. How could they be saying such hateful things? There were many detestable things that the Empire had done, but how were every member within the society held responsible?

"I don't understand," replied Terra, shaking her head. "What happened? Why are you doing this?!"

"Why?!" another young teen shot. He shot a glare of daggers at Terra, his expression haunted. Terra could see trauma upon his face, and immediately she knew that the poor boy must've endured more than he should've. "Because the Empire is murderous, that's why! Gilvada's entirely gone! Gone, I tell you! Everyone has been killed, burned, murdered by you imperial scum and your sorcery!"

Terra blinked. Her heart fluttered in her chest. "But―how could this be?" she wondered aloud. "Kefka just came from Gilvada yesterday for some negotiations, unless . . . ."

Realization painfully struck her, causing her to stagger slightly. There was something mysterious behind Kefka's eyes when he returned, something that he wouldn't elaborate on no matter how much she prodded. He'd told her curtly that the mission had been "complete," and Terra had merely assumed that all went according to plan. How terribly wrong it would seem she was.

"That man slaughtered everyone like animals!" replied the teen angrily, nostrils flared. "He set my house on fire, and then laughed!"

The young mage's thoughts were in a jumble, horror, confusion, and terror mixing into a painful combination in her chest. She backed away, as though every word uttered by these grief-stricken youths were blades piercing into her very flesh. She didn't wish to believe it were true. A part of her couldn't accept that it were, yet these young fighters served as proof. It would seem that much had indeed gone on in Gilvada that Kefka neglected mentioning, for reasons she could easily see.

She spoke the only thing sensible to say, the same fruitless words that these same young fighters had heard after their nation had been burnt to a crisp: "I'm so sorry."

Her words, she knew, wouldn't bring back the loved ones lost, or change the fact that these young ones had no home to return to. She also knew it wouldn't change Kefka's horrid deed of flattening an entire civilization off the map, but it was all she could manage.

That was the day Terra had discovered that another side to Kefka truly did exist, the one which he warned her of many years ago. That same part of him that took pride in devastating others, which he told her to fear. For a while she hoped that he'd made it up, or that it'd vanished for good, but apparently this wasn't so. A sadist emerged within the only man she trusted above all, and the man she loved.

And, truthfully, it frightened her.


End file.
